Editing Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest (section)

==Media coverage==

===Live TV===
In 2003, [[ESPN]] aired the contest for the first time on a [[broadcast delay|tape-delayed]] basis. Starting in 2004, ESPN began airing the contest live. From 2005 to 2017, [[Paul Page]] was ESPN's [[play-by-play announcer]] for the event, accompanied by [[color commentator]] Richard Shea. In 2011, the women's competition was carried live on [[ESPN3]], followed by the men's competition on ESPN. In 2012, ESPN signed an extension to carry the event through 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/playbook/trending/post/_/id/2178/hot-dog-contest-sticks-with-espn-to-2017|title=Hot Dog Contest sticks with ESPN to 2017|work=ESPN.com|date=May 24, 2012|access-date=July 9, 2013|archive-date=July 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709163435/http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/trending/post/_/id/2178/hot-dog-contest-sticks-with-espn-to-2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2014, ESPN signed an agreement to carry the competition on its networks for 10 years until 2024.<ref name=2014contract>Mandell, Nina. [http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/07/nathans-hot-dog-eating-competition "Nathan's Hot Dog Contest ensures its future as Fourth of July tradition with new ESPN deal"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707083407/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/07/nathans-hot-dog-eating-competition |date=July 7, 2014 }} ''[[USA Today]]'' July 4, 2014.</ref>

In 2021, Miki Sudo did not compete, as she was 37 weeks pregnant with her first child with fellow professional eater, Nick Wehry. Sudo instead served as an announcer, alongside Mike Golic Jr., Richard Shea, and Jason Fitz.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! colspan="4" |Television history
|-
!Year
!Network
!Announcers
!Viewers
|-
|2003
|[[ESPN]]
|
|
|-
|2004
|ESPN
|[[Gary Miller (sportscaster)|Gary Miller]], Richard Shea

|926,000<ref name="NYT 07-06-2007" />
|-
|2005
|ESPN
|[[Paul Page]], Richard Shea
|860,000<ref name="NYT 07-06-2007">{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/sports/othersports/06sandomir.html?em&ex=1183867200&en=db67d69a2a06d921&ei=5087%0A |title = The Hideous Masters of Gluttony: July 6, 2007 |access-date = July 9, 2010 | work= [[The New York Times]] | author = Sandomir, Richard | date=July 6, 2007}}</ref>
|-
|2006
|ESPN
|Paul Page, Richard Shea
|1.46 million<ref name="NYT 07-06-2007" /><ref>{{cite web |url = http://everythingbutthegame.blogspot.com/2007_07_08_archive.html |title = Everything But the Game: 2007-07-08 |access-date = June 26, 2008 |archive-date = July 8, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708034622/http://everythingbutthegame.blogspot.com/2007_07_08_archive.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
|-
|2007
|[[ESPN2]]
|Paul Page, Richard Shea
|1.632 million
|-
|2008
|ESPN
|Paul Page, Richard Shea
|over 1 million<ref>{{cite web|author=Meera Dolasia|date=July 3, 2009|title=Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest—A July 4th Tradition Since 1916|url=https://www.dogonews.com/2009/7/3/nathan-s-hot-dog-eating-contest-a-july-4th-tradition-since-1916|work=dogonews.com|access-date=2022-07-07|archive-date=July 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709010613/https://www.dogonews.com/2009/7/3/nathan-s-hot-dog-eating-contest-a-july-4th-tradition-since-1916|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|2009
|ESPN
|Paul Page, Richard Shea
|1.34 million<ref name="Potpourri Friday, July 9, 2010">{{cite web |url = http://www.sportsmediawatch.net/2010/07/potpourri_09.html |title = Potpourri Friday, July 9, 2010 |date = July 9, 2010 |access-date = July 9, 2010 |archive-date = July 17, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100717133056/http://www.sportsmediawatch.net/2010/07/potpourri_09.html |url-status = live }}</ref>
|-
|2010
|ESPN
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, [[Todd Harris]]
|1.677 million<ref name="Potpourri Friday, July 9, 2010" />
|-
|2011
|ESPN
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, Renee Herlocker
|1.949 million<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2011/07/more-ratings-hot-dog-contest-formula-1-track-field/ |title=More Ratings: Hot Dog Contest, Formula 1, Track & Field |publisher=Sportsmediawatch.com |date=July 6, 2011 |access-date=February 24, 2012 |archive-date=March 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324061656/http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2011/07/more-ratings-hot-dog-contest-formula-1-track-field/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|2012
|ESPN
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, Renee Herlocker
|1.299 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/07/06/wednesday-cable-ratings-dallas-anger-management-futurama-storage-wars-house-hunters-more/140515/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708225735/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/07/06/wednesday-cable-ratings-dallas-anger-management-futurama-storage-wars-house-hunters-more/140515/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 8, 2012|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'Dallas' + 'Futurama', 'Storage Wars', 'House Hunters' & More|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|work=TV by the Numbers|date=July 6, 2012|access-date=July 9, 2015}}</ref>
|-
|2013
|ESPN2
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, Renee Herlocker
|1.14 million<ref name="2013-14" />
|-
|2014
|[[ESPNEWS]]
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, [[Cari Champion]]
|402,000;<ref name="2013-14">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2015/07/sports-ratings-july-fourth-nathans-hot-dog-espn-nascar-xfinity-daytona-nbcsn-tour-de-france-viewership/|title=Ratings Roundup: Hot Dog Contest, NASCAR Xfinity, Tour de France|author=Paulsen|work=Sports Media Watch|date=July 8, 2015|access-date=July 9, 2015|archive-date=July 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711172650/http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2015/07/sports-ratings-july-fourth-nathans-hot-dog-espn-nascar-xfinity-daytona-nbcsn-tour-de-france-viewership/|url-status=live}}</ref> 2.8 million (tape delay on ESPN)<ref name="2019ratings" />
|-
|2015
|ESPN2
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, Melanie Collins
|1.129 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-100-saturday-cable-originals-7-4-2015.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710044325/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-100-saturday-cable-originals-7-4-2015.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 10, 2015|title=SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Saturday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 7.4.2015|last=Metcalf|first=Mitch|website=[[Showbuzzdaily.com]]|date=July 8, 2015|access-date=July 9, 2015}}</ref>
|-
|2016
|[[ESPN3|ESPN.com]]
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, Melanie Collins
|1.3 million (tape delay on ESPN)<ref name="2016-2017">Paulsen. [http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2017/07/wimbledon-ratings-espn-hot-dog-contest-viewership-us-senior-open-fox/ Ratings Roundup: Wimbledon, Hot Dog Contest, Senior Golf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910201213/http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2017/07/wimbledon-ratings-espn-hot-dog-contest-viewership-us-senior-open-fox/ |date=September 10, 2018 }}. Sportsmediawatch. July 7, 2017.</ref>
|-
|2017
|ESPN2
|Paul Page, Richard Shea, Melanie Collins
|1.11 million<ref name="2016-2017" />
|-
|2018
|ESPN2
|[[Adam Amin]], Richard Shea, Melanie Collins
|1.141 million<ref name="2018ratings">Porter, Rick. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180706184646/https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/wednesday-cable-ratings-july-4-2018/ "Wednesday cable ratings: Hot dog eating contest leads a light 4th of July"]. TVbythenumbers. July 6, 2018.</ref>
|-
|2019
|ESPN2
|Adam Amin, Richard Shea, Melanie Collins
|1.36 million<ref name="2019ratings">Paulsen. [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/07/home-run-derby-ratings-mls-hot-dog-contest/ "Ratings: Home Run Derby, MLS, Hot Dog Contest"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727035139/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2019/07/home-run-derby-ratings-mls-hot-dog-contest/ |date=July 27, 2019 }}. Sportsmediawatch. July 9, 2019.</ref>
|-
|2020
|ESPN
|[[Mike Golic Jr.]], Richard Shea, Jason Fitz
|966,000<ref name="2020ratings">Metcalf, Mitch. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200708204447/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/skedball-weekly-sports-tv-ratings-6-29-7-5-2020.html "SKEDBALL: Weekly Sports TV Ratings 6.29-7.5.2020"]. ''ShowBuzzDaily''. July 8, 2020.</ref>
|-
|2021
|ESPN
|Mike Golic Jr., Richard Shea, Jason Fitz, Miki Sudo
|1.35 million<ref name="2021ratings">Paulsen. [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2021/07/nascar-road-america-ratings-f1-indycar-hot-dog-contest-mlb/ "Ratings: NASCAR, F1, IndyCar and more"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714030122/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2021/07/nascar-road-america-ratings-f1-indycar-hot-dog-contest-mlb/ |date=July 14, 2021 }}. ''Sports Media Watch. July 9, 2021.''</ref>
|-
|2022
|ESPNEWS
|[[John Anderson (sportscaster)|John Anderson]], Richard Shea, Jason Fitz
|1.033 million (tape delay on ESPN)<ref name="2022ratings">Metcalf, Mitch. [https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-monday-7-4-2022-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Monday 7.4.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals UPDATED"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203112918/https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-monday-7-4-2022-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html |date=February 3, 2023 }}. July 6, 2022.</ref><ref name="2022ratings2">Paulsen. [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2022/07/nhl-draft-ratings-espn-viewership-wnba-pga-tour-mlb-hot-dog-contest/ "Ratings: NHL Draft, WNBA, PGA Tour and more"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722010458/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2022/07/nhl-draft-ratings-espn-viewership-wnba-pga-tour-mlb-hot-dog-contest/ |date=July 22, 2022 }}. July 8, 2022.</ref>
|-
|2023
|ESPN2
|John Anderson, Richard Shea, Renée James
|1.008 million (weather delay to 2 pm ET)<ref name="2023ratings">Lewis, Jon. [https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/07/weekly-sports-ratings-gold-cup-nascar-top-charts/ "Weekly sports ratings: Gold Cup, NASCAR, top charts"]. ''SportsMediaWatch''. Retrieved on July 11, 2023.</ref>
|-
|2024
|ESPN2
|[[Jeremy Schaap]], Richard Shea, Tiffany Greene
|
|}

=== Film and TV programs ===

The Nathan's contest has been featured in these documentaries and TV programs:

* "A Different Story" (July 4, 1996) – Jeannie Moos covers the contest on [[CNN]]
* "Red, White, and Yellow" (1998)
* "A Hot Dog Program: An All-American, Culinary Cruise Through Hot Dog History" (1999)
* "Gut Busters" (2002) Made for TV – [[Discovery Channel]]
* "Footlong" (2002) – not the 2003 short film of the same name
* "The Tsunami – Takeru Kobayashi" (2003) Japanese
* "[[Crazy Legs Conti: Zen and the Art of Competitive Eating]]" (2004)
* "The Most Extreme", "Big Mouths" episode (2004) ([[Animal Planet]])
* ''[[Cheap Seats (TV series)|Cheap Seats]]'', (2004)
* "True Life" (2006) [[MTV]] documentary series
* ''Hungry'' (2013) documentary film; contract dispute between Nathan's Famous and Kobayashi
* "30 for 30: The Good, The Bad, The Hungry" (2019); ESPN Documentary

===Newspapers===
News sources typically use puns in head-lines and copy referring to the contest, such as {{"'}}Tsunami' is eating contest's top dog again", "couldn't cut the mustard" ([[Associated Press|A.P.]]), "Nathan's King ready, with relish" (Daily News) and "To be frank, Fridge faces a real hot-dog consumer" ([[ESPN]]).

Reporter [[Gersh Kuntzman]] of the ''[[New York Post]]'' has been covering the event since the early 1990s and has been a judge at the competition since 2000. [[Darren Rovell]], of ESPN, has competed in a qualifier.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=rovell/040507|title=Athletes with appetite|work=ESPN.com|first=Darren|last=Rovell|access-date=July 9, 2013|archive-date=November 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105030753/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=rovell/040507|url-status=live}}</ref>