Does a pricier tournament buy your team a tougher field?
Published Oct 14, 2026 · numbers as of Oct 14, 2026; they change as more games are played · by TourneyMagic
In Texas, it depends on the age group. We put the entry fee next to how strong each field was (1–10, from the ratings of every registered team) for 1,252 Texas age-group fields over the past year:
- 10U: under $200 averages 5.2, $200 and up 5.9
- 12U: 6.1 vs 6.3
- 14U: 6.8 vs 6.5
At 10U, paying more usually does get you a tougher field. By 14U it doesn't: three in four of the toughest 14U fields charged $195 or less.
So the fee alone won't tell you. The field will. Every tournament on TourneyMagic shows who's registered and how strong they are, so you can see whether the extra money buys the competition you want before you pay.
Where the numbers come from
Every team gets a rating from its posted game results, adjusted for who it played; a field's score blends the average of its registered teams with how strong the top third of them are.
Check any Texas field