.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend on a last-second basket to scratch college soccer's initial large trouble of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a win they'll be commemorating for many years to come. For the Battling Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To shed the home opener to a tiny college coming from an extremely inferior association was actually a shame for Notre Dame.Especially given that they spent NIU $1.4 thousand to accomplish it.This beams a lighting on one of the lengthiest as well as very most pricey traditions in university volleyball: warranty games. They are actually also called "amount of money activities," "salary video games," or even, as I just like to call all of them, "purchase weeks." An expensive (and also unsafe) traditionFor decades, in the initial couple of weeks of the period, primary university football organizations have actually paid for smaller sized institutions to come to play them in their house.In Full week 1 alone, much more than $35 million was actually invested across at least 55 assurance video games, according to Face Office Athletics. Alabama created the greatest check to its own enemy, Western side Kentucky, for an enormous $1.9 million. WKU lost that activity 63-- 0, but they most likely hit the trust the bus adventure home and also very likely will not reconsider it.In Week 2, 3 universities-- Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and Utah Condition-- obtained payments much bigger than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They dropped through a combined credit rating of 156-- 3, yet they took home a total of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's normally a good deal for both crews. The small colleges receive an income, the big schools get one more home game to dairy gameday earnings. The tiny university reaches play on the significant stage and get nationwide visibility, the big one acquires a cupcake on the timetable to start the year in a sporting activity without preseason. So all's well and really good till the minimal staff chooses to show out as well as draw the trouble.