Emperor Nero would be proud.

An arena packed with 20,000 screaming fans, many of them well-pickled, even by 6 a.m.

A bevy of scantily clad women.

A parade of champions, girded for battle.

Except for one detail: They wouldn't be fighting each other.

Their quarry? Wings. Thousands of them.

Welcome to Wing Bowl XVIII, an annual eating contest at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center pitting glutton against glutton to see who can down the most Buffalo-style chicken wings in a 30-minute feeding frenzy.

This year, Lancaster County will have a competitor in the fray. Jack Diamond (aka "Snack Jack"), of Bainbridge, qualified for the Feb. 5 contest, earning a place at the center table.

The obvious question is why.

"For the fun of it all, to view the spectacle of it all," laughed Diamond, who has attended every Wing Bowl since 1996.

"I just thought it would be more fun to be in the event than to just watch it."

He has tried — unsuccessfully — to qualify the past four years. To make the cut, contestants must perform an eating stunt during Philadelphia talk radio's WIP 610 morning show.

This year, Diamond cleared the bar when he scarfed 100 Campbell's Soup wontons (with broth) in two minutes, five seconds.

WIP host Al Morganti dreamed up this decadent contest in 1993. Convinced the Eagles were far from competing in a Super Bowl, he decided fans needed another bowl to fill the competitive void. Wing Bowl was born and has been held on the Friday before the Super Bowl every year since.

About 150 people attended Wing Bowl I to see Carmen "The Beast from the East" Cordero eat 100 wings and claim victory.

His prize? A hibachi.

By contrast, the Wachovia Center is already sold out for Wing Bowl XVIII, which will feature 29 contestants. The winner gets a 2010 Ford F-150 pickup. Other prizes include thousands of dollars in jewelry and trips.

The event is broadcast live on WIP's morning show (hence the early start) and covered by Philadelphia TV and print media.

Wing Bowl is less about the eaters than the Coliseum-like atmosphere.

Contestants are carried into the arena on floats, surrounded by "wingettes," dancing, bikini-clad cheerleaders.

The wingette dubbed "Miss Wing Bowl" will win a Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster (actual retail value: $7,000).

Diamond is building his float to honor all defunct Philadelphia sports teams and stadiums. He'll ride inside, and when carried into the arena, climb a ladder to emerge atop his mock stadium.

As for what it takes to win the eating competition, last year's champion, Jonathan "Super" Squib ("a 22-year-old, 150-pound, zit-faced kid," Diamond said) chowed down on 203 wings to claim the crown.

While some contestants can weigh almost a quarter-ton, girth is not an asset, said Diamond (5 foot 10 inches, 225 pounds). Famous competitive eaters, such as Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas and Joey Chestnutt, are notoriously thin.

How does one prepare for such an event?

"I don't think I have to practice," Diamond said. "I like wings."

His cousin, Wing Bowl VIII winner "Toolman Joe" Paul, offered some advice.

"He told me, 'Just keep your arms moving, keep your head down and don't look up at all of the distractions,' " Diamond said.

The Wing Bowl has three rounds, a 14-minute segment from which the top 10 eaters move on, a second 14 minutes that weeds out five more, and a five-man, two-minute wing-off for the crown.

The rules are few: No napkins. No meat left on bones. No vomiting.

"You heave, you leave," goes the rule.

Diamond thinks he can make the final 10. "You need to eat 70-80 to get out of the first round, and I don't think I'll have a problem with that," he said.

After that?

Diamond laughed, "I'm just a guy who's there to have some fun."