Longtime Philadelphia sports radio announcer Howard Eskin has been banned from Citizens Bank Park for the rest of the Philadelphia Phillies season after an investigation found he made unwanted advances to women who worked at Aramark.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, which first reported the news and details about Eskin’s suspension from the stadium, said the investigation began after an employee alleged that Eskin, 73, subjected them to an unwanted kiss at the stadium in May.
Aramark, the stadium’s food and beverage service provider, acknowledged in a statement Tuesday that one of its employees “was subjected to an unwanted kiss by an Audacy employee” and immediately launched an investigation into the allegations. Aramark also said it worked with Audacy and the Phillies to implement measures to protect all Aramark employees at the stadium.
A spokesman for Audacy, which owns radio station WIP-FM where Eskin hosts a weekly radio show, confirmed the “unwelcome kiss” and said the company “immediately investigated and took steps to address the matter.”
“The Phillies take these allegations very seriously,” the Phillies said in a statement. “We cooperated with our partners, Audacy and Aramark, in their investigation, and we support Audacy’s decision to suspend Howard Eskin from Citizens Bank Park.”
Eskin will continue to be on the air, according to the Inquirer. He did not immediately respond. AthleticRequest for comments.
Eskin, who is considered a polarizing figure due to his brash personality, has been a mainstay of Philadelphia-area sports media for decades, joining WIP when it switched to a full-time sports radio format in 1986. He has hosted more than 8,000 sports radio shows, most notably at WIP, where he also serves as a reporter for Philadelphia Eagles broadcasts.
Eskin has continued to work at WIP since the incident and hosts a regular radio show every Saturday.
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