July 24, 2024
Kate Frese/for PhillyVoice
Howard Eskin will be back on SportsRadio 94WIP for his Saturday show from 8 to 10 a.m. this weekend. Eskin, 73, has been off the air since news broke in early July that he allegedly gave an unwanted kiss to a woman at Citizens Bank Park in May.
Howard Eskin will return to SportsRadio 94WIP on Saturday morning for the first time since allegations surfaced that he made an unwanted advance on an Aramark employee at Citizens Bank Park, an Audacy official said. Eskin hasn't been on the air for his 8 to 10 a.m. show on Saturdays since late June.
The longtime sports talk host was in attendance with media at the opening of Eagles training camp. Eskin's participation stood out because he's long served as an Eagles insider for WIP, the team's radio partner. He has been banned from Citizens Bank Park since May in a move the Phillies said was suggested by Audacy. The 76ers also barred Eskin from their practice facility in Camden after learning of the alleged incident.
Eskin, 73, was accused of giving an "unwelcome kiss" to a woman in the CP Rankin Club at the Phillies' ballpark in May. Audacy, the parent company of SportsRadio 94WIP, said Eskin missed his Saturday show at first due to a previously scheduled vacation. His absence persisted for several weeks after that, but the station said it had not suspended him from his radio duties.
Eskin has not publicly addressed the allegations.
An Eagles spokesperson said Wednesday that Audacy requested access for Eskin to cover the Eagles and that the team granted that request. Audacy officials told the Eagles they had conducted an investigation into the incident at Citizens Bank Park and had addressed the matter internally.
Eskin's years as a weekday host at WIP were integral to the station's rise in notoriety and listenership, earning him a reputation as "The King" of sports talk in Philadelphia. Since reducing his role at WIP in 2011, he's made regular appearances on other shows and hosts his Saturday morning slot in addition to attending team press conferences.
Earlier this month, former WIP morning host Angelo Cataldi criticized the station for refusing to talk on the air about the situation involving Eskin. Spike Eskin, Howard's son, acknowledged it during his afternoon show with Ike Reese and Jack Fritz but said he would not be going into detail about it on the radio.
Eskin's ban at Citizens Bank Park is expected to last for the remainder of the Phillies season, although the team hasn't said whether he will be given the chance to cover the postseason. The 76ers have not indicated when Eskin might be allowed back.
