.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame final weekend on a last-second basket to mark university regulation football's very first big distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a gain they'll be actually commemorating for a long times ahead. For the Combating Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a little college from a significantly poor event was a humiliation for Notre Dame.Especially because they paid NIU $1.4 thousand to do it.This beams a lighting on among the longest and also most expensive customs in college soccer: warranty video games. They are actually additionally called "money activities," "paycheck activities," or even, as I just like to call all of them, "get full weeks." A pricey (and high-risk) traditionFor decades, in the very first couple of weeks of the season, major college soccer institutions have spent smaller institutions to find to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 million was actually invested around at the very least 55 guarantee activities, according to Front Office Sports. Alabama created the greatest check to its own rival, Western Kentucky, for an immense $1.9 thousand. WKU shed that game 63-- 0, but they probably hit the count on the bus adventure home as well as likely won't think twice about it.In Week 2, three institutions-- Western side Michigan, Center Tennessee, and also Utah State-- acquired payments much bigger than NIU's $1.4 million. They shed through a mixed credit rating of 156-- 3, but they took home a total amount of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's commonly a deal for both groups. The small schools receive an income, the big universities receive one more home game to dairy gameday profits. The tiny university gets to use the huge phase and get nationwide visibility, the major one acquires a cupcake on the schedule to start the year in a sporting activity with no preseason. Therefore all's properly and good up until the minimal crew decides to reveal out and take the distress.