.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend on a last-second basket to scratch college soccer's very first large trouble of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a win they'll be actually commemorating for several years to come. For the Battling Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To drop the home opener to a small institution from an extremely substandard event was actually a humiliation for Notre Dame.Especially due to the fact that they paid NIU $1.4 thousand to accomplish it.This sparkles a lighting on some of the longest and very most expensive customs in university soccer: guarantee games. They are actually additionally phoned "amount of money activities," "paycheck games," or, as I just like to phone them, "acquire full weeks." An expensive (as well as high-risk) traditionFor years, in the 1st couple of full weeks of the season, major university volleyball establishments have paid smaller universities to follow to play them in their house.In Full week 1 alone, more than $35 thousand was actually spent all over at the very least 55 promise video games, depending on to Front Office Athletics. Alabama composed the largest inspection to its own opponent, Western Kentucky, for a tremendous $1.9 million. WKU dropped that activity 63-- 0, yet they most likely reached the rely on the bus adventure home as well as probably will not think twice about it.In Full week 2, three schools-- Western Michigan, Center Tennessee, and Utah State-- obtained payments greater than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They dropped through a consolidated credit rating of 156-- 3, but they took home a total of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's usually a good deal for both groups. The little universities receive a paycheck, the major universities receive another home video game to dairy gameday profits. The little school comes to play on the significant phase and also receive national direct exposure, the big one acquires a dish on the timetable to begin the year in a sport without preseason. So all's effectively and also really good until the smaller staff decides to present out as well as take the upset.