unused tickets could become a Chiefs fan status symbol

I believe they do.

This is from Directv.com in the Sunday Ticket section

Blackout Rules for Local Team Home Games

A regular-season, Sunday afternoon home team game will be blacked out in a home team's territory if the game fails to sell out at least 72 hours before the game. If it is blacked out on your local broadcast station, it will also be blacked out in your area on NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

Each stadium's local blackout area is defined by the broadcast signal of the local affiliate carrying the game, not by the mileage surrounding the stadium.

The NFL requests broadcasters to black out games for a number of reasons:

To make sure your local team benefits from a stadium full of enthusiastic fans.
To protect home game attendance of the teams.
To assure the entertainment value of a full stadium — for people in the stands and for people watching TV.
To protect local television coverage.