.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend break on a last-second basket to scratch college regulation football's very first big trouble of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a win they'll be actually celebrating for many years ahead. For the Combating Irish, it's a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a tiny university from a greatly inferior conference was a discomfort for Notre Dame.Especially considering that they spent NIU $1.4 million to carry out it.This beams a light on some of the longest as well as most pricey customs in university volleyball: assurance games. They're also contacted "loan activities," "payday activities," or, as I like to phone them, "purchase full weeks." A pricey (and also dangerous) traditionFor decades, in the first handful of weeks of the period, significant college volleyball establishments have actually paid out smaller institutions ahead to play them in their house.In Full week 1 alone, more than $35 thousand was actually devoted throughout at the very least 55 promise activities, depending on to Front end Office Athletics. Alabama composed the most significant check to its rival, Western Kentucky, for an enormous $1.9 million. WKU dropped that game 63-- 0, but they most likely attacked the count on the bus ride home as well as very likely won't reconsider it.In Week 2, three institutions-- Western side Michigan, Center Tennessee, and also Utah Condition-- received payouts much bigger than NIU's $1.4 million. They lost by a bundled rating of 156-- 3, but they take away an overall of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's typically a deal for each staffs. The tiny universities obtain a paycheck, the major colleges obtain yet another home video game to milk gameday earnings. The tiny university comes to play on the huge stage as well as get national exposure, the large one acquires a cupcake on the schedule to begin the year in a sporting activity without preseason. Thus all's properly and also great up until the minimal team makes a decision to present out and take the trouble.