.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame final weekend on a last-second basket to scratch college regulation football's 1st major distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a gain they'll be actually commemorating for many years ahead. For the Battling Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a tiny college from an extremely poor conference was an embarrassment for Notre Dame.Especially because they spent NIU $1.4 million to accomplish it.This radiates a light on among the lengthiest and most pricey practices in university soccer: assurance activities. They are actually likewise gotten in touch with "funds video games," "payday games," or, as I like to contact them, "purchase weeks." A costly (and risky) traditionFor many years, in the 1st few full weeks of the period, significant university volleyball establishments have actually spent much smaller institutions ahead to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 million was spent throughout at least 55 assurance games, depending on to Front Office Athletics. Alabama created the biggest check to its opponent, Western Kentucky, for a tremendous $1.9 million. WKU dropped that video game 63-- 0, but they perhaps struck the count on the bus adventure home and probably won't hesitate about it.In Week 2, 3 colleges-- Western Michigan, Center Tennessee, and Utah Condition-- acquired payouts bigger than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They dropped by a bundled credit rating of 156-- 3, yet they took home a total of $4.85 million in the process.It's normally a deal for both staffs. The tiny institutions receive a paycheck, the large colleges obtain yet another home video game to milk gameday revenue. The tiny college comes to use the major stage and obtain nationwide exposure, the big one gets a dish on the routine to start the year in a sport with no preseason. Thus all's well and excellent till the lesser group chooses to present out and also take the distress.