.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend on a last-second field goal to scratch university football's very first major distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a succeed they'll be commemorating for several years to come. For the Battling Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a little institution coming from a vastly poor event was actually an embarrassment for Notre Dame.Especially given that they paid NIU $1.4 million to carry out it.This shines an illumination on one of the lengthiest as well as very most pricey practices in university volleyball: assurance games. They are actually additionally gotten in touch with "amount of money activities," "income games," or even, as I as if to call them, "get weeks." A pricey (and unsafe) traditionFor decades, in the very first couple of weeks of the period, significant university volleyball establishments have actually spent much smaller schools ahead to play all of them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 thousand was invested across at least 55 guarantee games, depending on to Front Workplace Athletics. Alabama wrote the biggest check to its challenger, Western side Kentucky, for a whopping $1.9 million. WKU lost that game 63-- 0, however they probably attacked the count on the bus adventure home and also likely won't think twice about it.In Full week 2, three institutions-- Western side Michigan, Center Tennessee, as well as Utah State-- acquired payments much bigger than NIU's $1.4 million. They lost through a combined score of 156-- 3, however they took home a total of $4.85 million in the process.It's typically a good deal for both groups. The tiny colleges receive a salary, the significant institutions get another home video game to milk gameday profits. The small school reaches play on the huge phase and also acquire nationwide exposure, the major one acquires a cupcake on the timetable to start the year in a sporting activity without any preseason. Therefore all's properly as well as excellent until the lower team determines to reveal out as well as pull the upset.