Philly radio host banned from Citizens Bank Park after ‘unwanted advance’ toward employee

A Philadelphia sports talk legend has been banned from Citizens Bank Ballpark following an incident in May with a female Aramark Employee. 

Howard Eskin, a longtime broadcaster in Philadelphia and the father of former WFAN program director Spike Eskin, made unwanted advances toward the female employee at the Phillies home stadium which prompted an investigation and the decision to ban him from the ballpark, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The outlet reported that Eskin attempted to give the woman an unwanted kiss.

WIP’s parent company, Audacy, confirmed the incident and said they take matters of that nature very seriously.

All of it went down, according to the Inquirer, before a game in the CP Rankin Club, which is described as an “exclusive area in Citizens Bank Park” by the team’s website with seats between the dugouts, when Eskin allegedly attempted to kiss the woman as she backed away. 

“We immediately investigated and took action to address the matter,” an Audacy spokesperson told the outlet. 

“We then worked with Audacy and the Phillies to ensure that appropriate steps were taken to protect our employee and all of the Aramark employees at Citizens Bank Park,” Aramark said in a statement. 

Aramark is a food service and facility services provider that operates in stadiums across the country including Citi Field, Coors Field, Fenway Park, Kauffman Stadium, Minute Maid Park, and PNC Park.

Audacy, the Phillies and Aramark were all involved in the investigation into what had occurred and Audacy decided to ban Eskin from the ballpark for the remainder of the season, though he will continue to host his two-hour Saturday morning show. 

“We support Audacy’s decision to suspend Howard Eskin from Citizens Bank Park,” the Phillies said in a statement. 

Eskin has been a mainstay in Philadelphia sports media as one of WIP’s original employees when the station made the jump to all sports talk in 1986 and became a firebrand for his opinionated takes on the local sports scene, which made him equally popular as he was derided. 

Eskins reduced his role at the Philly sports talk station in 2011 but has still frequented press conferences and been on air on WIP as a sideline reporter for Eagles football radio broadcasts, the Inquirer reported. 

The 72-year-old had been on WIP on Tuesday morning to appear as a guest on the midday show, but he will be missing his Saturday show this weekend, though it’s unrelated to Tuesday’s report.