Longtime SportsRadio 94WIP host and Eagles sideline reporter Howard Eskin revealed Friday that he has left the radio station after a run of 38 years.
“I leave the station with great affection for the listeners who have made the work I do so fulfilling during my time there,” Eskin, 73, posted on X, formerly Twitter.
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He gave no indication that he plans to retire and said he is still contemplating his next career move.
After 38 years I am moving on from Sportsradio WIP where I launched the station’s sports talk franchise in 1986. I leave the station with great affection for the listeners who have made the work I do so fulfilling during my time there. I’m looking forward to what comes next… pic.twitter.com/ZF6Wl9gO8P
— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) December 20, 2024
In a statement Friday afternoon, WIP station owner Audacy confirmed that Eskin and the company “have parted ways.” No details were shared about the sudden circumstances of his exit.
“We thank Howard for his years of contributions to WIP,” an Audacy spokesperson said in an email.
Eskin had a Saturday morning radio show and continued his decades-long sideline coverage on radio broadcasts of Eagles games. Both will end effective immediately, the Audacy spokesperson said.
Eskin has long been dubbed “the king” of Philadelphia sports talk for helping popularize a combative style of radio in the city. He joined WIP in 1986 and was part of a shift in strategy that played up the personalities of the station’s hosts to keep listeners tuned in to their antics. In the 1990s and 2000s, Eskin hosted WIP’s afternoon drive show and frequently sparred with his callers, often calling those he disagreed with “dopes” and “nitwits.” He had scaled back his duties at the station in 2011, but maintained a presence over the years with regular appearance on other shows.
In July, Eskin became embroiled in controversy when allegations surfaced that he gave an “unwelcome kiss” to a woman in a club section at Citizens Bank Park in May. The Phillies banned Eskin from the ballpark for the remainder of the 2024 season and he also was absent from his Saturday radio show for several weeks before returning to the WIP airwaves in late July.
After the allegations broke, Audacy officials said they had conducted an internal investigation of the matter. Eskin was not suspended during his absence from WIP, the company said, and he was permitted to resume his Eagles duties this season after Audacy requested that the team grant him access to its facilities.
The Audacy spokesperson declined to comment on whether Eskin’s departure has any connection to what happened earlier in the year.
Eskin also weathered other controversies over the years. In 1997, a Pottstown woman was murdered by her husband after Eskin had sent her roses and exchanged emails with her. Eskin addressed that situation on his radio show at the time and talked about it in interviews, calling the situation “the worst time I have ever had in my life.” Police said Eskin was cooperative and had played only a “small role” in the case, but his notoriety on the radio drew heavy attention to his involvement.
Eskin’s son, Spike Eskin, is the program director at SportsRadio WIP and hosts the station’s afternoon show on weekdays at 2p.m. Spike addressed his father’s departure two minutes into his show Friday, saying he loves his dad. He thanked him for sharing his knowledge of the radio industry.
“I picked up what to do and what not to do over the years, and that’s about it,” Spike Eskin said with a snicker. He seemed to try to wrap the tribute more than once but repeatedly returned to the topic.
He did not disclose the reason behind Howard Eskin’s departure.
“While I am proud of him and I am not happy that he is not here anymore, I personally am incredibly happy where I am at WIP, who I work with, with Ike (Reese) and Jack (Fritz) … with my infrastructure here. I am here and that has nothing to do with him not being here anymore. So if that was a thought in your mind, you can get rid of that. And that’s about all I got on it,” Spike Eskin said, alluding to his role overseeing 94WIP’s show lineup.
Spike said his father is not leaving because of a health issue. He also said until Friday, a time when Howard Eskin would not be on WIP was unimaginable.
The father and son exhibited different styles on the radio, with Howard leaning much more bombastic.
“Most people think when they meet me and they meet him, they’re like, ‘Wow, I don’t even know how you’re related to that guy. You guys are so different,'” Spike said. “But it is not lost on me that I am here doing the shift that he was the first one to do.”
The son continued, “This sounds a little bit like a eulogy. If you think you are rid of Howard Eskin in your world, that is not happening.”
