.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend on a last-second basket to scratch university soccer's very first big upset of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a succeed they'll be commemorating for many years to find. For the Dealing with Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a small school from a vastly poor association was a discomfort for Notre Dame.Especially because they paid NIU $1.4 thousand to perform it.This shines a light on among the lengthiest as well as most costly customs in university volleyball: promise video games. They're likewise called "cash activities," "income video games," or even, as I just like to call all of them, "purchase weeks." An expensive (and risky) traditionFor decades, in the initial handful of full weeks of the season, significant university soccer establishments have actually paid out much smaller schools to come to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, more than $35 million was spent across a minimum of 55 promise activities, according to Face Office Athletics. Alabama wrote the largest check to its enemy, Western Kentucky, for an immense $1.9 thousand. WKU shed that video game 63-- 0, but they most likely attacked the count on the bus trip home as well as probably won't reconsider it.In Full week 2, 3 institutions-- Western Michigan, Center Tennessee, and Utah Condition-- received payouts greater than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They lost by a combined credit rating of 156-- 3, but they take away an overall of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's generally a deal for each groups. The small schools receive a salary, the large institutions receive yet another home activity to dairy gameday earnings. The small college reaches use the major phase as well as receive national visibility, the large one gets a dish on the timetable to begin the year in a sporting activity without any preseason. Thus all's well and also great up until the smaller crew makes a decision to present out and take the upset.