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The increasingly bizarre business economics of college soccer

.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame final weekend break on a last-second field goal to mark college football's initial big trouble of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a win they'll be actually celebrating for many years to come. For the Dealing with Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To shed the home opener to a little college from a greatly substandard conference was actually an awkwardness for Notre Dame.Especially due to the fact that they paid out NIU $1.4 million to carry out it.This sparkles an illumination on one of the longest and also most costly heritages in university volleyball: assurance video games. They are actually likewise gotten in touch with "amount of money games," "paycheck games," or, as I like to call them, "purchase full weeks." A pricey (and high-risk) traditionFor years, in the first handful of weeks of the period, primary college football organizations have actually paid out smaller sized schools to find to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 thousand was devoted across at least 55 guarantee video games, depending on to Face Office Sports. Alabama wrote the most significant inspection to its own opponent, Western side Kentucky, for a massive $1.9 million. WKU shed that game 63-- 0, however they possibly hit the bank on the bus flight home and probably won't think twice about it.In Week 2, 3 institutions-- Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and Utah State-- got payouts much bigger than NIU's $1.4 million. They dropped through a combined rating of 156-- 3, yet they take away a total amount of $4.85 million in the process.It's generally a good deal for both crews. The little colleges acquire an income, the huge universities get yet another home video game to milk gameday revenue. The tiny institution reaches use the huge stage and also get nationwide exposure, the big one receives a dish on the schedule to start the year in a sport without preseason. Thus all's properly and really good until the minimal group chooses to show out and also draw the upset.