Cater costs should be lower for lower level players, but personally, i have to agree that cater costs are too high. Players with close to 300 provinces conquered like myself, now have to deal with huge costs.
But it's beta, so please share as much feedback as possible.
The problem Goryn, is that it is not only on beta. The live server got this version of the tournament as well, so I have players left and right and center saying there is not way they will ever do anything in the tournaments because they don't like to fight and catering costs are too high. I know that players with less provinces will have less costs, but even then, as you said yourself, they are way too high.
It seems the devs have changed their mind about the tournaments being there for everyone, more and more looks like tournaments are advanced players only, everyone else will not be able to participate regularly. And if you don't like to fight, then forget it, this is not for you.
It is a big shame. I play in 3 worlds, in one of them I fight, the other 2 i negotiate everything as i don't have enough time to fight in 3 worlds. I was doing ok in beta, even managing to do 4 provinces when it wasn't my boost. But this week? i didn't bother doing 1, because the amount of goods it would require its just not worth it for the rewards you get, especially when it is not your boost.
I much rather save my goods for normal provinces on the map, and I doubt I will do the tournament again, even when it is my boost, because the costs are too high for the rewards being offered.