.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend break on a last-second basket to notch university regulation football's 1st large upset of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a win they'll be actually celebrating for several years ahead. For the Fighting Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a tiny institution coming from a significantly poor event was actually an embarrassment for Notre Dame.Especially considering that they paid out NIU $1.4 thousand to carry out it.This sparkles an illumination on some of the lengthiest as well as most expensive practices in university football: guarantee activities. They're additionally contacted "funds video games," "income activities," or even, as I like to call all of them, "purchase weeks." A costly (as well as unsafe) traditionFor years, in the very first handful of weeks of the season, primary university football organizations have spent smaller colleges to follow to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 thousand was devoted all over a minimum of 55 guarantee activities, depending on to Front end Office Athletics. Alabama wrote the biggest inspection to its own challenger, Western Kentucky, for an enormous $1.9 thousand. WKU dropped that activity 63-- 0, but they perhaps reached the trust the bus flight home and also likely won't hesitate about it.In Week 2, three institutions-- Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and also Utah Condition-- acquired payments bigger than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They lost by a consolidated credit rating of 156-- 3, yet they took home a total of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's normally a bargain for each teams. The small colleges obtain an income, the large universities obtain yet another home video game to dairy gameday income. The small university comes to use the huge phase as well as get nationwide direct exposure, the major one obtains a dish on the schedule to begin the year in a sporting activity without preseason. Therefore all's properly as well as great till the smaller crew chooses to present out and take the distress.