diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c3bd0d9..be63f77 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ var networkName string
 var labels playground.MapStringFlag
 var disableLogs bool
 var platform string
+var contenderEnabled bool
 
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "playground",
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ func main() {
 		recipeCmd.Flags().Var(&labels, "labels", "list of labels to apply to the resources")
 		recipeCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&disableLogs, "disable-logs", false, "disable logs")
 		recipeCmd.Flags().StringVar(&platform, "platform", "", "docker platform to use")
+		recipeCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&contenderEnabled, "contender", false, "spam nodes with contender")
 
 		cookCmd.AddCommand(recipeCmd)
 	}
@@ -224,7 +226,7 @@ func runIt(recipe playground.Recipe) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	svcManager := recipe.Apply(&playground.ExContext{LogLevel: logLevel}, artifacts)
+	svcManager := recipe.Apply(&playground.ExContext{LogLevel: logLevel, ContenderEnabled: contenderEnabled}, artifacts)
 	if err := svcManager.Validate(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to validate manifest: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/playground/catalog.go b/playground/catalog.go
index 6cf842c..2b6b540 100644
--- a/playground/catalog.go
+++ b/playground/catalog.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ func init() {
 	register(&nullService{})
 	register(&OpRbuilder{})
 	register(&FlashblocksRPC{})
+	register(&Contender{})
 }
 
 func FindComponent(name string) ServiceGen {
diff --git a/playground/components.go b/playground/components.go
index fd01948..fd020e9 100644
--- a/playground/components.go
+++ b/playground/components.go
@@ -717,3 +717,25 @@ func (n *nullService) Run(service *Service, ctx *ExContext) {
 func (n *nullService) Name() string {
 	return "null"
 }
+
+type Contender struct {
+}
+
+func (c *Contender) Name() string {
+	return "contender"
+}
+
+func (c *Contender) Run(service *Service, ctx *ExContext) {
+	args := []string{
+		"spam",
+		"-l",                        // loop indefinitely
+		"--min-balance", "10 ether", // give each spammer 10 ether (sender must have 100 ether because default number of spammers is 10)
+		"-r", Connect("el", "http"), // connect to whatever EL node is available
+		"--tps", "20", // send 20 txs per second
+	}
+	service.WithImage("flashbots/contender").
+		WithTag("latest").
+		WithArgs(args...).
+		DependsOnHealthy("beacon")
+
+}
diff --git a/playground/manifest.go b/playground/manifest.go
index 8904734..030002d 100644
--- a/playground/manifest.go
+++ b/playground/manifest.go
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ type ExContext struct {
 	// Bootnode reference for EL nodes.
 	// TODO: Extend for CL nodes too
 	Bootnode *BootnodeRef
+
+	ContenderEnabled bool
 }
 
 type BootnodeRef struct {
diff --git a/playground/recipe_buildernet.go b/playground/recipe_buildernet.go
index b7cfa69..ce7af20 100644
--- a/playground/recipe_buildernet.go
+++ b/playground/recipe_buildernet.go
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ func (b *BuilderNetRecipe) Apply(ctx *ExContext, artifacts *Artifacts) *Manifest
 		})
 	}
 
+	if ctx.ContenderEnabled {
+		svcManager.AddService("contender", &Contender{})
+	}
+
 	return svcManager
 }
 
diff --git a/playground/recipe_l1.go b/playground/recipe_l1.go
index 86f37cb..d8b00f1 100644
--- a/playground/recipe_l1.go
+++ b/playground/recipe_l1.go
@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ func (l *L1Recipe) Apply(ctx *ExContext, artifacts *Artifacts) *Manifest {
 			ValidationServer: mevBoostValidationServer,
 		})
 	}
+
+	if ctx.ContenderEnabled {
+		svcManager.AddService("contender", &Contender{})
+	}
+
 	return svcManager
 }
 
diff --git a/playground/recipe_opstack.go b/playground/recipe_opstack.go
index b720d51..edc51b6 100644
--- a/playground/recipe_opstack.go
+++ b/playground/recipe_opstack.go
@@ -126,6 +126,11 @@ func (o *OpRecipe) Apply(ctx *ExContext, artifacts *Artifacts) *Manifest {
 		RollupNode:         "op-node",
 		MaxChannelDuration: o.batcherMaxChannelDuration,
 	})
+
+	if ctx.ContenderEnabled {
+		svcManager.AddService("contender", &Contender{})
+	}
+
 	return svcManager
 }