.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend break on a last-second field goal to notch university soccer's initial big distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a succeed they'll be celebrating for years to follow. For the Fighting Irish, it's a season-crusher. To shed the home opener to a small school from a vastly poor conference was a discomfort for Notre Dame.Especially due to the fact that they paid out NIU $1.4 thousand to accomplish it.This beams a light on one of the longest and most expensive customs in university volleyball: promise video games. They're additionally gotten in touch with "amount of money video games," "payday video games," or, as I just like to call them, "acquire full weeks." A costly (and also unsafe) traditionFor years, in the very first few full weeks of the season, significant university soccer establishments have spent smaller colleges ahead to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, more than $35 thousand was devoted throughout a minimum of 55 assurance games, depending on to Front Workplace Sports. Alabama composed the biggest check to its opponent, Western side Kentucky, for an immense $1.9 million. WKU lost that activity 63-- 0, yet they possibly attacked the trust the bus adventure home and also probably won't think twice about it.In Full week 2, 3 colleges-- Western Michigan, Center Tennessee, and also Utah Condition-- obtained payouts much bigger than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They dropped through a bundled score of 156-- 3, yet they took home a total amount of $4.85 million in the process.It's usually a bargain for each staffs. The tiny schools acquire a payday, the major institutions acquire another home game to milk gameday earnings. The little institution reaches play on the big phase and get national exposure, the big one obtains a dish on the routine to start the year in a sporting activity with no preseason. Thus all's properly and great until the minimal staff decides to show out and take the trouble.