WFAN program director Spike Eskin leaving to be a host on WIP in Philadelphia
Spike Eskin Credit: WFAN
Spike Eskin, WFAN’s program director since 2021, will leave the station to become an on-air host at WIP in Philadelphia, both stations’ parent company, Audacy, announced on Wednesday.
Eskin will remain at WFAN and CBS Sports Radio, which he also oversees as vice president of programming, until a successor is named.
In Philadelphia, he will work in afternoon drive time with Ike Reese and Jack Fritz, returning him to the station he led before joining WFAN and to the area in which he grew up. Even during his time in New York, Eskin kept close tabs on Philadelphia-area sports.
“Leaving WFAN and CBS Sports Radio is an incredibly difficult decision,” he said in a news release. “I'm surrounded by talented, great people, and it's been an amazing experience.”
Chris Oliviero, market president for Audacy New York, said, “New Yorkers and Philadelphians rarely agree on anything, especially when it comes to sports, but we are aligned in our belief that Spike is a tremendous talent who is perfect for this next endeavor.”
Under Eskin, WFAN revamped much of its on-air schedule and maintained its ratings dominance over ESPN New York. During his tenure, the station evolved toward more general talk in addition to meat-and-potatoes sports talk, a path WIP had previously followed. Eskin also emphasized the station’s digital presence.
Eskin’s father, Howard, is a prominent Philadelphia-area media personality, including as a longtime afternoon host at WIP through 2011.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
