Spike Eskin to leave WIP for New York City’s WFAN

Spike Eskin is leaving Philadelphia and heading up I-95 to New York City.

Eskin, the program director at Sportsradio 94.1 WIP, will take over running Audacy’s flagship sports radio station WFAN. He’s replacing the retiring Mark Chernoff, who has run WFAN for nearly three decades.

Eskin will begin at WFAN in early July, while WIP will conduct a search to replace him.

“It was a hard decision because I like my job a lot, and I like who I work with a lot,” Eskin said. “But the opportunity to take on something a little bit bigger and a little different is exciting.”

Eskin, 44, the son of longtime WIP host Howard Eskin, was hired to run the station’s website and social media accounts nine years ago. He was promoted to program director, and took over running the station in 2016 after Andy Bloom was laid off by former parent company CBS Radio.

Since then Eskin has made a number of notable decisions, including firing Josh Innes — his former co-host — and turning Jon Marks and former Eagles defender Ike Reese into the city’s highest-rated afternoon sports radio show, regularly topping 97.5 The Fanatic’s Mike Missanelli.

Possibly his most-important move recently was resigning morning show host Angelo Cataldi to a multi-year deal, keeping him and longtime co-hosts Al Morganti and Rhea Hughes together as reigning ratings champions.

“Spike has the vision, creativity, and drive to craft the next chapter of the iconic and influential WFAN brand,” said Chris Oliviero, senior vice president and market manager at Audacy New York. “As a long-time colleague of Spike, I am excited that he has joined our all-star team and have no doubt that he will succeed.”

Eskin won’t be the only former WIP staffer in the building. One-time WIP weekend host Craig Carton co-hosts WFAN’s afternoon show, getting a second chance after spending time in prison for bilking investors out of millions of dollars with a fake-ticket Ponzi scheme.

In addition to his duties as the station’s vice president of programming, Eskin also co-hosts The Rights to Ricky Sanchez Sixers podcast, which he plans to continue. And he’s not particularly worried about giving Philadelphia up for New York City.

“My wife is from Delaware County, went to high school in Delaware County, went to college in Delaware County, and we live in Delaware County. So she is a true Philadelphian in that way,” Eskin joked. “I’ve been around a little bit, so I’m pretty comfortable with that part of it.”