FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Every now and then a new tournament organization markets their program by knocking others rather than promoting their own. Currently we have a “new” organization out west slandering our name and other organizations as well so I would like to use this page to answer a few questions. Their approach is standard marketing 101 when you are trying to sell an inferior product bash your competition. We usually take the high road but I think time has come to answer some of the garbage being put out their by our competition.

Q: How long has AAYBA been running World Series?

A: We have been running World Series events since 1989. There are only a few World Series that have been around for over 10 years. These organizations have a history, and you know what to expect from them. New organizations that are credible, won't knock their competition. They have been around baseball long enough to know that you stand on your own merits, letting their events speak for themselves. Those that run a quality event will stand the test of time.

Q: Some of your competition says that you aren't a World Series at all since teams don't need to "qualify" to participate. In fact they say that you are just a big "overpriced" tournament. Your response?

A: Regarding Fees: Over the years we have had several stones tossed our way - never has it been about fees. One competitor in one breath is calling us the most expensive World Series in the country and in the next breath saying that we aren't a Worlds Series at all. When comparing price be sure to compare "apples to apples". We don't claim to be the cheapest (but with the use of our discounts, we might just be), neither are we the most expensive. We offer many, many discount promotions so our fee really depends on your tournament location ( Texas , Missouri , Colorado , or Oklahoma ), when you enter, if you have played previously with AAYBA, etc.

Every single team participating at any of our four locations has the option to play for $495 (for SEVEN games), as long as they register and pay by February 1st. Another example, in Texas if you are an 8U or 9U team and enter prior to May 1st your entry fee is only $395 (for a SEVEN game format). When we add a new location we always offer an introductory rate to the local teams to encourage them to give our program a try. This year with Oklahoma in it's first year any team from Oklahoma can play for only $395 (again for a SEVEN game format). Probably the best promotion is offered at our St Louis location whereas a team who plays and pays once, say as a 10U team, you can return the next season under our "Loyalty" program ... pay by February 1st and we will treat their entry as a "refundable" deposit, therefore the team plays free. If a team chooses to do so that same 10U team could play 11U, 12U, 13U, & 14U, for FREE. Play in more than one World Series event and take $300 off of the second event. Any team that played in AAYBA event the year prior can register the following year in St Louis and have their entry fee waved.

Right off every single team participating at any of our four locations can play for $495 (for SEVEN games), as long as they register and pay by February 1st.

When comparing fees be sure to consider that we give all teams SEVEN games and you don't need to "qualify" to participate. So if you are looking at a World Series where qualifying is required to get to their World Series (most of which will give you 4-5 games), be sure to include the cost of the events you were "REQUIRED" to participate in before being "ALLOWED" into their World Series.

Q: No need to qualify?

A: Regarding Qualifying: We accept all teams of all playing abilities and to participate in any of our World Series events you do not have to "Pre-Qualify" as we "qualify our teams on the field in round one of World Series play. After round one, based on the results on the field" (can there be a fairer way?), we drop teams into 3-5 different levels of play and crown a champion in each level. So yes, we qualify teams we just don't "pre-qualify" teams at the going rate of $300-$500 per weekend.

To be blunt 99% of the "qualifiers" out there are nothing more than another place to take your money and are a 100% political sham. The existing ranking systems feed off of the egos of many managers and has zero to do with your true ranking ... Think about this, XYZ tournament takes the top four in their event and "qualifies them for their Nationals/World Series event. In the subsequent weeks these same four teams finish on top in the event that week but are already "qualified" so what do our competitors do? They pick the next four, and if they don't except the bid, they go to the next four. By the time the season is full swing, everybody with a heartbeat and is breathing has now "qualified". Some of our competitors "require" you to play in their State Tournament even if you have previously "qualified for their World Series. You can attend state and finish last place but you must attend or you will not be allowed to use your "Qualified" bid to the Nationals. If that isn't a money grab I don't know what is.

So which way is a truer qualifying method ... us, or our competition? All we do is skip the "pre-qualifying" process and in turn save you money. Sign up for one of our World Series events and then play only in the weekend events throughout the summer that you really "want" to participate in and not because you are "required" to in order to get to your world series of choice.

Our "Open World Series" is not designed to skip the "qualifying" process, we just don't buy into the existing "qualifying" method. Since it is impossible for every team in the event to play an equal schedule, we felt it was much more prudent to "qualify" our teams on-site, on the field. By using our method teams can schedule well in advance which allows parents to obtain vacation dates, shop and obtain better airfare rates, etc.

Q: Are you the largest single site World Series?

A: To be honest, I am not certain but if our Texas World Series isn't the largest it is right there among them. Bear in mind that every team from the highest placed team to the lowest receives a minimum of seven games. So don't simply count the number of teams but count the number of games played. In Texas in 2009, we had right at 375 teams participate, which translates into just over 1300 games played. Even is St Louis which is much smaller than Texas , in 2009 we hosted right at 150 teams which translates into just over 500 games played.

Q: Must we purchase insurance from AAYBA?

A: While we require all teams to show proof of insurance you are not required to purchase your policy from AAYBA, you can purchase from whomever you wish. Unlike many of our competitors, we are not in the insurance business.

Q: Do you require that we sanction our team/purchase a membership to participate in an AAYBA event?

A: Absolutely not - we do not charge any type of membership/sanctioning fees.

Q: What is the "Platinum Elite" division in Texas ?

A: In our 10U, 11U, 12U, 13U, & 14U we are adding a 16 team “Platinum Elite Division” which is geared at the very best teams. While we feel that our drop down does an excellent job at getting teams of equal talents into the correct division in the secondary round of play we feel that the imbalance of talent levels has grown so wide that the round one games were getting too lopsided to be enjoyed by either side. Therefore by adding the Platinum Elite division of play, the main body of 64 teams (in the 10U-13U age groups and 48 in the 14U age group), will be much more balanced and less run rule games will be played. On the other side, the top level teams will be placed in a 16 team bracket and every game played should be tightly contested.

If you are ranked as a major or major elite team you can only participate in the "Platinum Elite" Division. We will not allow Major and Major Elite teams to play down in the group of 64 in an attempt to grab an easy trophy. If you are a strong “AAA” team that feels you haven't been ranked correctly and would like to play in the “Platinum Elite” division you can submit your application accordingly. If you play in this division, you must consider your team among the very best, complaining about how strong your pool is won't wash. Your mindset should be that on any given day you can compete with any team in your age group that is sitting in the opposite dugout. If playing the very best teams available is important to you - the "Platinum Elite Division of the AAYBA World Series in Texas is for you. Don't delay we will only accept 16 teams.

Q: Do you charge a paygate?

A: Most every World Series charges a paygate - some build in into the fee and some don't. If they advertise "no paygate" dig deeper and you will find the fees buried in their program elsewhere.

Our locations in Texas , Oklahoma , and Missouri , like most of our competitors do charge a gate fee, unlike most of our competition we only charge adults, kids 15 and under are free. Our Colorado location, by request from the local Colorado teams, charge a team gate fee that must be paid prior to their first game.