Veteran Philadelphia sports radio host and announcer Howard Eskin was banned from Citizens Bank Park for the remainder of the Phillies’ season on Wednesday after he made an unwanted advance toward a female stadium employee earlier this season. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Eskin, 73, was reportedly in an exclusive area behind home plate before a game in May when he tried to kiss an Aramark employee as she walked away. Aramark is the stadium’s food service provider.
After the employee reported the “unwanted kiss,” the company and Audacy (which is the parent company of WIP-FM, the company that employs Eskin) launched an investigation. It was reportedly Audacy’s idea to ban Eskin from the stadium for the remainder of the season once the investigation was over.
“We are cooperating with our partners at Audacy and Aramark in their investigations,” the Phillies said in a statement, via the Inquirer. “We support Audacy’s decision to suspend Howard Eskin from Citizens Bank Park.”
Eskin is a longtime staple of Philadelphia sports media. He was one of WIP’s first employees and hosted its first sports radio show in 1986. Eskin has worked at the station in a reduced capacity for more than a decade, but still hosts shows and covers games on a regular basis throughout the city. He will remain on the air despite not being allowed to attend Phillies games either.
The Philadelphia 76ers also banned Eskin from their training facility until further notice on Wednesday as a result of the investigation. According to NBC PhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia Eagles are also monitoring the situation. According to Mike Florio of PFTas Eskin serves as the station’s sideline reporter during home games.
