Philadelphia sports radio personality Howard Eskin is banned from Citizens Bank Park for the rest of the season following an internal investigation. The investigation revealed that Eskin made unwanted advances toward an Aramark employee, including an unwelcome kiss.
According to Aramark, the Phillies’ food service provider, the alleged unwanted advance happened at the CP Rankin Club before a game. They confirmed this in a statement, saying an employee “had been subjected to an unwanted advance by an Audacy employee,” referring to Eskin’s employer.
The Phillies were not the ones who barred Eskin from Citizen’s Bank Park, though. That was Audacy’s decision, but one that was publicly supported by the organization. And while he’ll no longer be attending Phillies games for the foreseeable future, 94 WIP has no plans of taking him off the air.
Eskin has reduced his role at WIP since 2011 but still has a Saturday morning radio show on the station.
But it doesn’t mean he’ll have access to other teams in the city just because he’s on the air.
In the meantime, another Philadelphia sports organization has taken matters into its own hands. The 76ers have preemptively decided that Eskin will not be welcomed at Training Camp or the Wells Fargo Center this upcoming season.
Here’s more from Tom Ignudo of CBS News Philadelphia:
A spokesperson for the Philadelphia 76ers said Wednesday the team does not intend to grant access to their training complex “until further notice” and has requested Wells Fargo Center not to let Eskin in for games and team activities for the foreseeable future.
Eskin’s long and storied career in Philadelphia sports media enters a period of uncertainty.
For decades, Eskin has been a prominent figure in Philadelphia sports radio. However, this recent incident casts a shadow on his long career. Eskin’s legacy includes his time at WIP since 1985, several stints on KYW-TV (now CBS News Philadelphia), and his role as a sideline reporter for the Eagles on WIP.
Only time will tell how this will ultimately impact his legacy within the city’s passionate sports scene.
The 76ers’ swift action clearly demonstrates their stance on such behavior. However, it remains to be seen if other teams follow their lead and if Eskin chooses to address the allegations publicly.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.