Controversial, hardworking Howard Eskin, with his reputation for no-holds barred commentary, is a local sports icon who was the catalyst for the sports talk revolution in Philadelphia. He parlayed that success into a multimedia career that includes both local and national TV and radio.
Eskin, nicknamed “The King” by Pete Rose, is currently sports anchor and host of Sports Sunday and Game Day Live for FOX29 in Philadelphia. He also serves as sideline reporter for the Eagles broadcast on SportsRadio 94 WIP. A weekly contributor to the NFL Network he has also appeared as a commentator on FOX News.
Eskin is a 1968 graduate of Northeast High School. He got his start in local radio when late night disc jockey George Michael hired him to be his engineer at the old WFIL-AM. He eventually made a name for himself in sports radio with his hustle and penchant for breaking stories and stirring public opinion.
Before he gained fame in TV, Eskin hosted the first ever sports talk show on SportsRadio 610 WIP in 1986. That launched the popular station’s format, forever changing the landscape of radio in Philadelphia.
He began his television career as sports director and anchor at KYW-TV 3 and later brought his on air magic and mischief to NBC 10 (WCAU) and FOX, where in 1986, he was part of the station’s original anchor team that created the Ten O’clock News format.
Through his own distinctive bobble head doll, Eskin has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities such as The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Among his myriad honors: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society named Eskin “Man of the Year” in 2002, and the March of Dimes named him its “Media Person of the Year” in 2003. He was a 2007 inductee into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In 2010, he received the March of Dimes prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers’ Hall of Fame in November 2011.
Eskin’s signature greeting is “never had a bad day in my life”.
