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Sam's Club(R) Hosts Qualifying Tour for Nathan's(R) Famous Fourth of July 2008 Hot Dog Eating Contest
Sam's Club(R) Hosts Qualifying Tour for Nathan's(R) Famous Fourth of July 2008 Hot Dog Eating Contest
BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Hot Dog lovers and sport eaters
were in awe last Fourth of July when underdog Joey Chestnut, beat six-time
champion Takeru Kobayashi at the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating
Championship. This year, the race for top dog is on, and Sam's Club is proud
to be the destination for qualifying events throughout the nation. Beginning
this month, Sam's Club locations nationwide will add Nathan's Hot Dogs to the
cafe menu.
"We are looking forward to supporting such a highly acclaimed and exciting
sport, as it continues to grow and becomes a fast favorite in America," said
Dennis Horn, Director of Merchandise at Sam's Club. "Sam's Club cafes are on
par with community dinners and we are thrilled to add Nathan's to our menu in
570 locations."
The winner of each qualifying round will compete at the original Nation's
Famous in Coney Island July 4th for the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt.
Qualifiers are open to those 18 years of age and older, and applications will
be taken online at http://www.nathansfamous.com.
The 2008 Nathan's Famous hot dog-eating circuit begins at select Sam's
Club locations on May 17th inChicago. Other cities on the tour that will be
housed at Sam's Club locations includePittsburgh (May 24),Overland Park, KS
(May 31),New Orleans, (June 4) andDallas (June 21).
"Our hot dog eating contest has occurred in Coney Island since 1916, and
the excitement grows every year," said Wayne Norbitz, President and COO of
Nathan's Famous, Inc. "Bringing in Sam's Club to host qualifying rounds was a
natural way to celebrate our partnership and announce to our fans that they
can enjoy a Nathan's hot dog any day of the year at Sam's Club."
In addition to hosting the qualifying competition, Members, participants
and fans alike will be welcome to cheer for their favorite eater and enjoy a
$1 Nathan's hot dog and Coca-Cola (R) special in the Sam's Club Cafe. And for
those under 18, who are looking to take part in the action, Sam's Club will be
holding a "Neat Eater" contest for children under 12 to participate in the
festivities.
Competitive eating's hallmark competition garners live attendance of
45,000 fans on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island. An
additional 1.5 million households tuned in to the contest's live broadcast on
ESPN as they witnessed Chestnut achieve a world record by eating 66 Nathan's
Hot Dogs and Wonderbread Buns in the 12-minute contest. This year's
contestants will meet at Sam's Club locations locally as they rally for rights
to compete in the historic Coney Island storefront.
About Sam's Club
Sam's Club is a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. The first Sam's Club
opened its doors inMidwest City, Oklahoma in 1983 and serves more than 47
million U.S. Members. Sam's Club offers exceptional values on merchandise and
services for business owners and consumers. Online merchandise and club
information is available at samsclub.com.
About Major League Eating
Major League Eating, the governing body of all stomach-centric sport,
sanctions the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Circuit and ensures the events
are judged professionally and that safety standards are in place at each
event.
SOURCE Sam's Club
Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze,
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