Just started listening to the latest pod. For the discussion regarding why games aren't selling out this year I think it's similar to movies where performance in a franchise is heavily related to the previous installment. For example: The Matrix franchise. First movie was great, did well. Second movie was really hyped and made a lot of money but wasn't as satisfying for fans. Then the third movie bombed because the second movie lowered everyone's expectations. Back to Iowa State, 2020 blew away expectations, so 2021 was full of sellouts but disappointed relative to fan expectations, and now attendance/ticket sales are down in 2022.
Yeah, i think you can add a lot of factors to it.
What you said is probably part. Ticket prices increasing along with other costs also increasing probably also playing a role. And, lets face it, there's also some amount of ticket drop every year when Iowa isn't on the home schedule (as often picking up a season ticket is the best way to get into that game).
I also wouldnt be surprised if there's a hangover effect from the covid low-attendance season. A lot of people didnt go in 2020 but deferred that money to 2021. So the ticket money was already locked in to ISU for 2021. Wouldnt surprise me if some of those decided they liked staying at home in 2020 more and decided to opt out for 2022.
All these factors combine and there's your few thousand open seats.