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IOWA CITY, Iowa − Before the madness of March, there was the optimism of October.

On Oct. 19, 2023, Caitlin Clark was still hundreds of points away from the NCAA all-time scoring record and the Hawkeyes were replacing two starters from a 31-win team that reached its first-ever Final Four last season. 

But to Hawkeye fan Gary Vogt, Iowa’s magical run to Dallas in 2023 was no fluke, but rather the start of a potential dynasty. So when tickets went on sale that October day for the Women’s Final Four in Cleveland, Vogt put up the bills to back up his belief, purchasing five tickets for his family. 

Vogt, who lives in Coralville, Iowa, will be among the thousands of fans donning black and gold inside Rocket Mortgage Arena Friday evening when top-seeded Iowa battles third-seeded UConn in the national semifinals. While his preseason prediction may have been bold, it will have paid off economically, as ticket prices have soared. 

With the exception of the COVID seasons of 2020 and 2021, attendance at the women’s Final Four has remained above 18,000 since 2017. But the demand for those seats has increased, particularly when Clark and the Iowa women’s basketball team are involved. 

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

According to Vivid Seats, its web site traffic jumped by 160% after Iowa dethroned defending national champion LSU in the Elite Eight on April 1. The price demand for the women’s Final Four also increased by 19% overnight, the company said. 

“For Iowa fans, specifically, but also a lot of Midwest teams have loyal fan bases, because there’s not much to do around here, I guess,” Vogt’s 17-year-old daughter, Lexie Vogt, said. “They can see themselves in this team because there’s a lot of players from Iowa, and it’s really special to be a part of that.” 

Ticket prices on Oct. 19 started at $200, but as of Wednesday morning, the minimum price on Ticketmaster was $380 before fees. On StubHub, that figure was $359. 

In 2015, the average sold ticket price on Vivid Seats was $145. The figure has more than doubled this year to $360, setting a new high over the last decade, according to a release from the company. The second-highest price was last year.

“We’re seeing what we’ve all known for years,” said Robin Therme, a former Iowa high school basketball player who received her MBA from Iowa in 2000. “The women’s game is competitive, entertaining and worth the price of admission.” 

Hawkeye fans are no strangers to the newfound hype surrounding collegiate women’s basketball. In October, more than 55,646 fans flocked to Kinnick Stadium to watch the outdoor matchup against DePaul. Every Iowa home game sold out this season, and 30 of the team's 32 regular-season games either were a sellout or set an attendance record, according to Iowa athletics. 

Iowa freshman Harrison Reimers grew up in Iowa City and attended most of the Hawkeyes’ home games this year. He and his family bought tickets for last year’s Final Four, and they soon realized that the experience couldn’t be had just once. 

According to the NCAA, the first and second rounds of this year’s tournament set an attendance record for the third straight season, with Iowa City’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena leading the charge with sellouts it hosted. 

Megan Meskimen-Chapman, 47, received her graduate degree from Iowa and has held season tickets for the women’s team for more than a decade. An elementary school teacher in Tiffin, Iowa, she bought her Final Four tickets on Jan. 20 for over $300. 

“I’m not missing this,” she said. “I want to say I was there, to be a part of the crowd, to lose my voice. I want to celebrate their success as a team.” 

Vivid Seats’ Fan Forecast projects a crowd breakdown of 44 percent Iowa fans. The next-biggest fan base is South Carolina with 32 percent.  

“We’re loyal, dedicated, and we love our Hawks,” Meskimen-Chapman said. “Having college sports being the local, yet highest level of play that we get around this area, I think they serve as our celebrity players.” 

This devotion has extended beyond Iowa’s borders. Therme attended the Hawkeyes’ Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups in Albany, New York. There she met people from all over the nation, who shared one commonality – No. 22 jerseys. 

“I said, ‘We’re kind of like the New York Yankees. We’re America’s team,’ ” Therme recalled. 

After attending last year’s Final Four, Therme and her husband will make the eight-hour drive to Cleveland in a recently bought sprinter van. 

Meskimen-Chapman and the Vogt family will also hit the road this weekend. The task may seem daunting, but is well worth the mileage to these fans. Seeing Clark perform in person is one thing, but to witness the culture of the program under head coach Lisa Bluder is something just as inspiring. 

“[Bluder] is eyes wide open, just soaking it all in, and that carries over to [the players],” Therme said. “Just being true to yourself and who you are, your family and friends. You won’t meet nicer people than them.”