Raiders Hire 'Apprentice' Nick Warnock - 7th May 2004
(Credit: Yahoo! News / AP)

OAKLAND, Calif. - A former Xerox copier salesman who made it to the final episodes of Donald Trump's hit reality show, "The Apprentice," has been hired by the Oakland Raiders — but not to play football.

Chief Executive Officer Amy Trask, a fan of the NBC show, has hired Nick Warnock, 27, to sell 143 luxury suites at the Oakland Coliseum.

"I called someone else in our office equally addicted to the show and told him, `I want to hire this guy to sell suites,'" Trask said. "At first he was dubious, but when we saw on his Web site that he had a football background (he played high school and college football), it seemed like a great idea."

Warnock flew from Los Angeles to the team's Alameda headquarters Thursday for an interview. Although his salary and benefits are still being negotiated, Trask said Warnock has agreed to work for the team this season.

Trask said she was impressed by Warnock's salesmanship on the show and noted that many people, including Trump, complimented his ability to close a deal.

"This is one of the greatest organizations in the country," Warnock said. "Who hasn't heard of the Raiders, the Autumn Wind, the Silver and Black? It's as recognizable as the Yankees."

Warnock, a native of New Jersey, was among 16 candidates on "The Apprentice" who competed for a high-paying job with Trump. In the last episode, Trump hired Internet entrepreneur Bill Rancic, who will oversee the construction of a 90-story building project in Chicago.

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