Las Vegas Raiders Name Tom Telesco As New General Manager

The Las Vegas Raiders hired Tom Telesco, formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers, as the new general manager, as announced by the team on Tuesday.

According to ESPN, Telesco, 51, was the Charger's general manager since 2013.

"The Chargers went just 84-92 with Telesco as GM, including 2-3 in three playoff appearances," ESPN reports. "Telesco had three different head coaches with the Chargers, who moved from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017, in Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn and Staley."

A few hours before the big announcement, Ian Rapoport from the National Insider for NFL Network said on X (formerly Twitter), "Telesco built one of the NFL’s best rosters over a decade with the rival Chargers. Now, he’s expected to stay in the division."

This follows an already eventful period for the Raiders, who recently announced Antonio Pierce as the head coach.

On Jan. 9, 2013, the Chargers' President, at the time, Dean Spanos hired Tom Telesco, who was the former Indianapolis Colts Vice President of Football Operations, according to an archived webpage from the Chargers' website. At the time, Telesco was the youngest general manager in Chargers history being hired at 40 years old.

“We set out to find the right person to bring about positive change for the San Diego Chargers,” said Spanos at the time of his hiring. “It was a tough decision, but in the end, all signs pointed to Tom.  He is highly respected among his NFL peers. His work ethic is extraordinary. He is honest, humble, engaging and an excellent communicator. And, most important, he knows how to build a winning football team."

Well, hopefully Telesco can do that in Las Vegas. He began his career with the Carolina Panthers as a scouting assistant in 1995. He became the area scout in 1997. Telesco also spent 15 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and has spent the last 11 seasons as the General Manager of the Chargers, according to the Raiders' announcement.

The countdown to the 2023 NFL season is on, and as fans eagerly await the kickoff, one website has conducted a comprehensive analysis to determine the true cost of supporting each team in the league. USBettingReport has unveiled its "Fan Cost Index" (FCI), a measure that takes into account the expenses incurred by a family of four attending a game. The evaluation considers factors such as ticket prices, food and drink, parking, merchandise, and more, with data spanning a ten-year period from 2012 to 2022.

When it comes to being an NFL fan, the costs have been on the rise over the past decade. Families are now expected to fork out around $600 per gameday, and experts predict this number could climb over $700 by 2030. But guess which team is hitting fans' wallets the hardest? Yep, you guessed it—the Las Vegas Raiders.

Since 2012, the Raiders have seen their fan costs skyrocket by a jaw-dropping 93.3%. Can you believe it? Despite only making it to the playoffs twice since 2002, they charge the third-highest rates among all major league teams. Talk about pricey!

While the Raiders took the crown for highest cost, it's worth noting that two teams actually saw their FCI totals decline. The Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets bucked the trend, offering a more affordable experience for fans. Across the league, the increases in costs ranged from a modest 6.2% for the New York Giants to a formidable 72.6% for the Cleveland Browns, securing the second spot behind the Raiders.

So, if you're a Las Vegas Raiders fan, be prepared to dig a little deeper into your pockets. But hey, as the saying goes, "Once a Raider, always a Raider." The commitment and passion of Raiders fans in the vibrant city of Las Vegas remain unwavering, no matter the price. As the team continues to make their mark in Sin City, let's hope they give fans plenty to cheer about and make it all worthwhile!

Here are the most expensive NFL teams to be a fan of, according to the study.

This isn't a list we like to see our team on, but here we are. Our Las Vegas Raiders had a 2012 FCI of $381.90, but that number has skyrocketed since.
Since 2012, the Raiders have seen their fan costs skyrocket by a jaw-dropping 93.3%.  They charge the third-highest rates among all major league teams.

The Cleveland Browns come in hot on the heels of the Raiders. Since 2012, their fans have faced a hefty 72.6% increase in gameday costs. Back in 2012, the Browns offered one of the most affordable experiences, but now families are looking at a bill of around $593.23 per game. That's quite the jump!

Let's talk about the Philadelphia Eagles. As last season's Super Bowl runner-up, you'd think they'd cut fans some slack, right? Well, since 2012, the cost of attending an Eagles game has soared by a whopping 71%. Families now have to shell out almost $680 for each game they want to catch. That's a hefty $282.23 more compared to the good ol' days of 2012.

A few things have happened that have caused Tampa Bay to raise their ticket prices since 2012. Firstly, they won a Super Bowl a couple years ago, and they also hired the GREATEST quarterback of all time!... However, TB12 is now retired and it's been a few years since they won the Lombardi Trophy. Perhaps that'll help families afford tickets next season, but as of right now, the Bucs are ranked 4th on this list because of a 66.1% increase in their FCI.

This one makes the most sense, considering all the success this team has had recently. The Chiefs even recently won 3 ESPY's, including the coveted TEAM OF THE YEAR. They round off the top 5 with a 62.9% increase in their FCI.