.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend break on a last-second basket to notch university soccer's first large distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a succeed they'll be actually celebrating for years to follow. For the Dealing with Irish, it's a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a small university from a significantly substandard conference was actually a discomfort for Notre Dame.Especially given that they spent NIU $1.4 thousand to do it.This shines a lighting on among the lengthiest and also most expensive customs in university football: assurance video games. They are actually additionally phoned "money video games," "paycheck video games," or even, as I such as to call them, "get weeks." A costly (and risky) traditionFor decades, in the initial couple of full weeks of the period, major university volleyball companies have spent smaller institutions ahead to play all of them in their house.In Full week 1 alone, more than $35 million was invested across a minimum of 55 guarantee video games, depending on to Face Office Athletics. Alabama wrote the greatest check to its opponent, Western side Kentucky, for an immense $1.9 thousand. WKU lost that game 63-- 0, however they most likely attacked the rely on the bus flight home and also very likely won't think twice about it.In Week 2, 3 schools-- Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and also Utah State-- acquired payouts larger than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They dropped by a mixed credit rating of 156-- 3, however they take away a total amount of $4.85 million in the process.It's usually a good deal for both crews. The little colleges acquire a salary, the significant schools obtain another home video game to dairy gameday earnings. The tiny institution comes to play on the significant stage and also receive national exposure, the major one gets a cupcake on the routine to begin the year in a sport without preseason. Thus all's well and excellent till the smaller staff chooses to show out and also pull the distress.