WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.839 Apple podcast title, The Deep Dive, Inside Estadio 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:06.559 Jose Perez Culmenares, Venezuelan Baseball History 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:09.220 and Tigres de Aragua, Apple podcast description. 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:12.919 Join us for a deep dive into the history of Estadio 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:15.800 Jose Perez Culmenares, the iconic multipurpose 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:18.760 stadium in Marque, Venezuela. We explore the 00:00:18.760 --> 00:00:21.339 legacy of the 1941 baseball World Cup champion 00:00:21.339 --> 00:00:23.559 it's named after, the dominance of the Tigres 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:25.620 de Aragua and the Venezuelan Professional Baseball 00:00:25.620 --> 00:00:27.800 League, and the stadium's evolution since its 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:31.059 opening in 1965. Whether you're a sports historian 00:00:31.059 --> 00:00:33.920 or curious about Venezuelan sports culture, this 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:36.299 discussion uncovers the key moments of this 12 00:00:36.299 --> 00:00:40.359 ,647 -capacity sports venue, its structural upgrades 00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:43.039 for the 2006 Caribbean Series, and its modern 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:45.140 role hosting summer league teams like Semanas 00:00:45.140 --> 00:00:48.060 de Aragua and Líderes de Miranda. Tune in to 00:00:48.060 --> 00:00:50.200 discover how one building holds decades of athletic 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.259 glory. I want you to imagine standing at the 00:00:52.259 --> 00:00:54.479 exact coordinates of 10 degrees, 15 minutes, 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:57.460 and 38 seconds north. Okay. And 67 degrees, 36 00:00:57.460 --> 00:00:59.979 minutes, and 42 seconds west. precise today. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:03.280 We have to. Because if you stand at those exact 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:06.400 coordinates on Campo Alia Street in the city 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:09.400 of Marrakech, Venezuela, you aren't just looking 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:13.319 at... A facade of concrete and steel. Right. 00:01:13.459 --> 00:01:15.540 You're looking at the absolute beating heart 00:01:15.540 --> 00:01:18.140 of a city's sports culture. You're standing right 00:01:18.140 --> 00:01:21.359 in front of Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares. Exactly. 00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:24.879 And the physical footprint of a stadium like 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:27.319 that, it really operates as a timeline for an 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:29.359 entire region. Oh, totally. Because when you 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:31.879 look at sports venues that have survived across 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:34.819 multiple generations, you're looking at architecture 00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:37.840 that has been forced to adapt. It adapts to the 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:39.840 shifting demands of the community. Yeah. The 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:42.200 structural. changes to a building. They often 00:01:42.200 --> 00:01:44.359 mirror the cultural and athletic shifts happening 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:46.400 right on the field inside of it. Which brings 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.900 us to today's source material, which really gives 00:01:48.900 --> 00:01:51.180 us the perfect lens to examine that evolution. 00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:54.000 It's a great source. It is. We are pulling from 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:57.560 a remarkably fact -dense Wikipedia article dedicated 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:00.680 entirely to this specific multi -purpose stadium. 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:03.120 Primarily used for baseball. Right. Primarily 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:06.299 baseball. And it's a highly focused source, but 00:02:06.299 --> 00:02:09.580 it is just layered with decades of athletic history 00:02:09.580 --> 00:02:12.639 yeah there is a lot to get into here so okay 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.180 let's unpack this because our mission for this 00:02:15.180 --> 00:02:17.699 deep dive is to move beyond just you know reading 00:02:17.699 --> 00:02:19.560 off a list of facts and dates we want to see 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:22.539 the bigger picture exactly we are going to explore 00:02:22.539 --> 00:02:25.840 how this single physical structure acts as a 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:28.680 container for national history We're tracing 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:31.919 a through -line from a monumental 1941 World 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:35.319 Cup victory all the way to the complex multi 00:02:35.319 --> 00:02:38.379 -league ecosystem of modern Venezuelan baseball. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:41.599 I love that framing because stadiums are fascinating 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:43.960 barometers for regional success. They aren't 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:46.580 static objects. You know, they age, they age, 00:02:46.780 --> 00:02:49.159 they face structural stress and they are entirely 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:51.819 dependent on the athletic viability of the teams 00:02:51.819 --> 00:02:53.560 that occupy them, which is a lot of pressure 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:56.419 on the teams. It is. So our focus today is to 00:02:56.419 --> 00:02:58.620 dissect that symbiotic relationship. We're looking 00:02:58.620 --> 00:03:01.020 at the architectural upgrades, the sheer dominance 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:03.419 of the teams taking the field and the broader 00:03:03.419 --> 00:03:06.030 expansion of these baseball leagues. We're basically 00:03:06.030 --> 00:03:09.530 looking at how a team's success dictates the 00:03:09.530 --> 00:03:11.650 literal shape of the environment around them. 00:03:11.750 --> 00:03:14.830 Exactly. Now, to truly understand how this space 00:03:14.830 --> 00:03:17.849 functions, you have to grasp the physical dimensions. 00:03:18.210 --> 00:03:21.949 Set the scene for us. So Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares 00:03:21.949 --> 00:03:24.750 officially opened its doors to the public in 00:03:24.750 --> 00:03:28.270 1965. Mid -60s. Yep. And when you walk through 00:03:28.270 --> 00:03:31.509 those gates, the facility holds a capacity of... 00:03:31.870 --> 00:03:36.810 12 ,647 people. 12 ,647. Which, if you compare 00:03:36.810 --> 00:03:39.270 that to the sprawling modern mega stadiums being 00:03:39.270 --> 00:03:41.509 built today. Oh, the ones that hold 50 ,000 to 00:03:41.509 --> 00:03:44.550 80 ,000 spectators easily. Right. 12 ,000 seats 00:03:44.550 --> 00:03:47.650 creates an incredibly localized, intimate environment. 00:03:47.889 --> 00:03:51.050 It really does. Every single fan in that building 00:03:51.050 --> 00:03:54.969 is physically close to the dirt, the grass, the 00:03:54.969 --> 00:03:56.990 players. You are right on top of the action. 00:03:57.280 --> 00:03:59.240 And you have to think about the acoustic and 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:01.580 psychological impact of a tightly packed venue 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:04.539 like that. Oh, I bet it gets loud. It gets deafening. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:07.340 In massive stadiums, the crowd noise just sort 00:04:07.340 --> 00:04:09.580 of disperses out into the open air. It floats 00:04:09.580 --> 00:04:13.520 away. Exactly. But in a smaller, densely packed 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:15.840 footprint, like the one on Campo Alias Street, 00:04:16.019 --> 00:04:19.370 the energy is trapped. It reverberates off the 00:04:19.370 --> 00:04:22.490 concrete. It creates a highly pressurized atmosphere 00:04:22.490 --> 00:04:25.769 for any opposing team walking in there. So the 00:04:25.769 --> 00:04:28.670 crowd actually becomes a tangible obstacle. Yes, 00:04:28.670 --> 00:04:31.430 it's a massive psychological advantage for the 00:04:31.430 --> 00:04:33.850 home team. And the atmosphere is only part of 00:04:33.850 --> 00:04:36.899 that intimidation factor. The name of the building 00:04:36.899 --> 00:04:38.980 itself carries this immense amount of historical 00:04:38.980 --> 00:04:41.439 weight. Yes. Let's talk about the namesake. So 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:43.939 the stadium is named after Jose Perez Colmenares. 00:04:44.060 --> 00:04:46.639 Right. Our sources detail that he was a formidable 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:49.379 first baseman and an outfielder for the national 00:04:49.379 --> 00:04:51.959 baseball team. A really solid player. But his 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:55.939 legacy is tied to one specific absolute monumental 00:04:55.939 --> 00:04:59.129 event. The World Cup. Yes. He was a core member 00:04:59.129 --> 00:05:01.629 of the Venezuelan national team that captured 00:05:01.629 --> 00:05:04.470 the Baseball World Cup in its 1941 edition. Which 00:05:04.470 --> 00:05:07.490 is huge. It's massive. So every ticket printed, 00:05:07.569 --> 00:05:10.449 every broadcast from the booth, it constantly 00:05:10.449 --> 00:05:13.709 invokes the name of a 1941 world champion. What's 00:05:13.709 --> 00:05:16.350 fascinating here is the timeline gap embedded 00:05:16.350 --> 00:05:18.910 in that dedication. What do you mean? Well, think 00:05:18.910 --> 00:05:21.259 about the dates. The stadium officially opened 00:05:21.259 --> 00:05:25.220 for business in 1965. Right. Yet the man it honors 00:05:25.220 --> 00:05:28.500 achieved his defining athletic triumph 24 years 00:05:28.500 --> 00:05:31.519 prior in 1941. Oh, I see what you're saying. 00:05:31.579 --> 00:05:34.279 You're looking at a society taking a modern piece 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:37.420 of infrastructure or at least. modern for the 00:05:37.420 --> 00:05:40.660 mid -1960s, and dedicating it to a hero from 00:05:40.660 --> 00:05:43.100 an entirely bygone era. That's a really good 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:45.160 point. They didn't name it after a current star. 00:05:45.420 --> 00:05:48.660 Exactly. It illustrates a deep structural reverence 00:05:48.660 --> 00:05:51.120 for that specific World Cup team. They weren't 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:52.939 just throwing together a place to play games. 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:55.519 They were cementing a national legacy. Into the 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:58.980 very foundation of Marrakech. By placing Colmenares' 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:02.420 name on the marquee in 1965, the architects and 00:06:02.420 --> 00:06:04.699 city planners ensured that the achievements of 00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:07.939 1941 would serve as the literal baseline. The 00:06:07.939 --> 00:06:10.620 baseline for every future generation of athletes 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:13.079 walking into that dugout. Precisely. You are 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:15.079 walking into a building fundamentally designed 00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:18.120 to keep a specific piece of history alive. But 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:21.279 the story of Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares isn't 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:24.019 just about the past. It's defined just as much 00:06:24.019 --> 00:06:26.279 by the living athletes who took over that space. 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:30.120 The modern legends. Exactly. The stadium serves 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:33.319 as the primary home of the Tigres de Aragua. 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:36.300 A legendary team. A total powerhouse. They are 00:06:36.300 --> 00:06:38.399 a member of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.040 League, which operates as the country's winter 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:43.980 league. Right. And when you look at the historical 00:06:43.980 --> 00:06:46.819 data for the Tigres, you are looking at undeniable 00:06:46.819 --> 00:06:50.100 dominance. Since their inception, they have secured 00:06:50.100 --> 00:06:53.980 nine championship titles. Nine titles. That fundamentally 00:06:53.980 --> 00:06:57.079 alters the identity of a sports venue. How so? 00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:59.500 Well, it transitions the building from a neutral 00:06:59.500 --> 00:07:02.740 playing field into a stronghold. Opposing teams 00:07:02.740 --> 00:07:04.939 know they're walking into a facility where championship 00:07:04.939 --> 00:07:07.899 banners literally dictate the culture. It's intimidating. 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:11.060 Very. The expectation of winning becomes embedded 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:13.699 in the fan base. And that, in turn, elevates 00:07:13.699 --> 00:07:15.800 the pressure on every single game played during 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:17.620 that winter season. Well, here's where it gets 00:07:17.620 --> 00:07:20.079 really interesting. The distribution of those 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:24.160 championships, it was not some slow, steady accumulation 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.839 over several decades. It wasn't spread out. Not 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:31.160 at all. We are looking at an incredibly compressed, 00:07:31.540 --> 00:07:34.199 high -velocity window of success. The dynasty 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:37.240 era. Yes. Out of their nine total championship 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:40.560 titles, the Tigres de Aragua captured five of 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:43.379 them in a breathtaking six -season span. Five 00:07:43.379 --> 00:07:46.680 in six years. That is unbelievable. It's staggering. 00:07:47.100 --> 00:07:50.139 Between the 2003 to 2004 winter season and the 00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:53.220 2008 to 2009 season, this team was virtually 00:07:53.220 --> 00:07:55.519 unstoppable. Just a juggernaut. If you were a 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:57.620 fan walking into that stadium during those six 00:07:57.620 --> 00:07:59.300 years, you were witnessing a level of athletic 00:07:59.300 --> 00:08:01.879 execution that most franchises never achieve 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:04.189 in a century. And you have to realize... A dynasty 00:08:04.189 --> 00:08:07.170 of that magnitude creates an immediate real world 00:08:07.170 --> 00:08:09.110 crisis for physical infrastructure. A crisis. 00:08:09.490 --> 00:08:11.629 Absolutely. When a local team strings together 00:08:11.629 --> 00:08:13.829 five titles in six years, watching them play 00:08:13.829 --> 00:08:16.149 transitions from just a casual pastime into a 00:08:16.149 --> 00:08:18.370 cultural necessity. Everyone wants a ticket. 00:08:18.529 --> 00:08:21.110 Exactly. The sources note that as a direct result 00:08:21.110 --> 00:08:23.310 of this historic dominance, the stadium saw a 00:08:23.310 --> 00:08:26.110 massive yearly surge in attendance. Oh, of course. 00:08:26.269 --> 00:08:30.389 That 12 ,647 seat configuration that had served 00:08:30.389 --> 00:08:34.049 the city just fine since 1965. it was suddenly 00:08:34.049 --> 00:08:36.169 buckling under the weight of the Tigers' success. 00:08:36.549 --> 00:08:38.970 They couldn't fit everyone in. Right. The sheer 00:08:38.970 --> 00:08:42.090 volume of fans attempting to witness this dynasty 00:08:42.090 --> 00:08:45.570 in person practically forced management to make 00:08:45.570 --> 00:08:48.129 major structural improvements to the facility. 00:08:48.450 --> 00:08:50.970 The building literally had to adapt. The architecture 00:08:50.970 --> 00:08:53.529 had to evolve to meet the demands created by 00:08:53.529 --> 00:08:55.850 the players on the field. And those structural 00:08:55.850 --> 00:08:58.610 improvements actually set off a chain reaction 00:08:58.610 --> 00:09:01.049 for the stadium's international profile. Because 00:09:01.049 --> 00:09:03.450 suddenly they had a much better facility. Exactly. 00:09:03.870 --> 00:09:06.669 Because the venue was forced to upgrade its infrastructure 00:09:06.669 --> 00:09:09.669 to handle the massive Tigers crowds, the building 00:09:09.669 --> 00:09:12.389 was suddenly equipped to handle much larger prestigious 00:09:12.389 --> 00:09:15.429 events. They leveled up. They did. The culmination 00:09:15.429 --> 00:09:18.289 of those upgrades arrived in 2006, right smack 00:09:18.289 --> 00:09:20.549 in the middle of that historic dynasty run. Oh, 00:09:20.570 --> 00:09:22.570 this is the big one. The stadium was selected 00:09:22.570 --> 00:09:25.610 to co -host the 2006 Caribbean Series, sharing 00:09:25.610 --> 00:09:27.450 the duties with the neighboring city of Valencia. 00:09:27.669 --> 00:09:30.210 Hosting the Caribbean Series is a massive logistical 00:09:30.210 --> 00:09:32.820 and cultural milestone. It's the premier tournament. 00:09:33.059 --> 00:09:36.299 It is. It requires a facility capable of accommodating 00:09:36.299 --> 00:09:39.340 international broadcasts, specialized media contingents, 00:09:39.340 --> 00:09:42.720 and a huge influx of fans from all across Latin 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:45.820 America. And they pulled it off in a 12 ,000 00:09:45.820 --> 00:09:48.320 -seat stadium. Which is incredible. The fact 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.860 that Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares could meet 00:09:50.860 --> 00:09:54.700 those demands in 2006 is a direct testament to 00:09:54.700 --> 00:09:57.379 the upgrades forced by the Tigros winning streak. 00:09:57.419 --> 00:09:59.860 It's all connected. It is. I want you to picture 00:09:59.860 --> 00:10:02.539 it. You have this intimate, deeply historical 00:10:02.539 --> 00:10:05.720 venue operating at the absolute peak of its relevance. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:08.159 Just buzzing with energy. It was housing a local 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:10.720 dynasty while simultaneously serving as a stage 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:13.580 for international baseball. It was seamlessly 00:10:13.580 --> 00:10:16.799 blending local pride with global sports culture. 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:19.120 It's the ultimate stress test for a sports venue. 00:10:19.529 --> 00:10:21.629 and it completely passed. With flying colors. 00:10:21.909 --> 00:10:23.649 But the timeline of the stadium doesn't just 00:10:23.649 --> 00:10:26.590 freeze in the 2000s. The sources bring us right 00:10:26.590 --> 00:10:29.529 up to the modern day, noting a major shift that 00:10:29.529 --> 00:10:32.549 occurred in July of 2021. A very recent development. 00:10:32.830 --> 00:10:35.929 Very recent. During that month, the stadium underwent 00:10:35.929 --> 00:10:38.860 an official re -econditioning. The facility was 00:10:38.860 --> 00:10:41.799 essentially overhauled to prepare for a completely 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:44.259 new chapter in its operational history. And re 00:10:44.259 --> 00:10:46.639 -conditioning a facility that is over half a 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:49.559 century old requires significant financial and 00:10:49.559 --> 00:10:51.940 logistical investment. You can't just slap a 00:10:51.940 --> 00:10:54.539 fresh coat of paint on it. No. You have to address 00:10:54.539 --> 00:10:57.000 the wear and tear on the concrete, upgrade the 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:00.399 lighting, refine the playing surface, modernize 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:02.340 the player facilities. It's a huge undertaking. 00:11:02.580 --> 00:11:04.899 It really is. But an investment of that scale 00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:07.730 in 2021 signals something really important. It 00:11:07.730 --> 00:11:10.289 means the building still holds critical strategic 00:11:10.289 --> 00:11:12.490 value. They didn't want to tear it down. Right. 00:11:12.549 --> 00:11:15.169 They actively chose to preserve and adapt the 00:11:15.169 --> 00:11:17.750 historical footprint rather than abandoning it 00:11:17.750 --> 00:11:20.029 for a newer site somewhere else. And that 2021 00:11:20.029 --> 00:11:22.830 investment was driven by a massive expansion 00:11:22.830 --> 00:11:24.929 in how the stadium is utilized. Expanding the 00:11:24.929 --> 00:11:28.009 calendar. Exactly. Up until this point, we've 00:11:28.009 --> 00:11:29.990 really only talked about the Winter League. But 00:11:29.990 --> 00:11:33.730 starting in 2021, Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares 00:11:33.730 --> 00:11:36.230 became a host venue for the Venezuelan Major 00:11:36.230 --> 00:11:39.179 League. Which is the country's summer baseball 00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:41.879 league. Right. The historic fortress of the Tigris 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:45.500 suddenly opened its doors to new full -time tenants. 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:48.100 Sharing the spotlight. Yeah. The stadium now 00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:50.919 hosts two summer league teams, the Samantes de 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:53.940 Aragua and the Leaders de Miranda. If we connect 00:11:53.940 --> 00:11:55.960 this to the bigger picture, the introduction 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:59.279 of the Summer League fundamentally rewires the 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:01.460 operational heartbeat of the stadium. How so? 00:12:01.620 --> 00:12:04.340 Because of the schedule? Exactly. Historically, 00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:07.159 a facility tied to a Winter League experiences 00:12:07.159 --> 00:12:11.080 intense, localized bursts of activity. And then 00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:13.580 nothing. Right. Followed by long periods of complete 00:12:13.580 --> 00:12:15.779 dormancy during the offseason. The building just 00:12:15.779 --> 00:12:17.940 sits there. But now, with the Summer League... 00:12:18.090 --> 00:12:20.470 By bringing in the Venezuelan Major League, you 00:12:20.470 --> 00:12:22.710 are transitioning the building from a seasonal 00:12:22.710 --> 00:12:25.649 venue into a year -round athletic engine. That's 00:12:25.649 --> 00:12:27.889 a great way to put it. The turf, the seating, 00:12:28.070 --> 00:12:30.649 the infrastructure, they are all now subjected 00:12:30.649 --> 00:12:33.690 to a continuous cycle of professional play. You 00:12:33.690 --> 00:12:35.950 essentially have three professional franchises, 00:12:36.029 --> 00:12:39.409 one winter, two summer, all calling the exact 00:12:39.409 --> 00:12:41.909 same patch of dirt home. The logistics of that 00:12:41.909 --> 00:12:44.789 must be wild. Managing the field conditions alone. 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:48.080 Transitioning from the Simonis and leaders in 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:50.899 the summer right back into the intense Tigres 00:12:50.899 --> 00:12:53.879 winter schedule, it means the stadium is functioning 00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:57.100 at absolute maximum utility. And it completely 00:12:57.100 --> 00:13:00.779 redefines the concept home field advantage. I 00:13:00.779 --> 00:13:02.600 didn't even think about that. Yeah, because the 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:05.039 fans of the Samanis and the leaders are now building 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.659 their own cultural traditions and their own loyalties 00:13:07.659 --> 00:13:10.519 inside a structure that was heavily shaped by 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:12.600 the legacy of the Tigris. It's like layers of 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:14.559 history stacking on top of each other. Exactly. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:17.759 So that 2021 RIA conditioning wasn't just about 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:20.500 fixing old concrete. It was about preparing a 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:25.000 1965 building to support a complex, multi -franchise, 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:28.340 modern baseball ecosystem. Without collapsing 00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:30.480 under the strain of continuous use. Exactly. 00:13:30.700 --> 00:13:32.720 So what does this all mean? It's the big question. 00:13:32.820 --> 00:13:34.980 When we look back at the entirety of the timeline 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:38.159 we've traced today, it becomes so clear that 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:41.460 Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares just defies the 00:13:41.460 --> 00:13:43.960 standard life cycle of a sports venue. It refuses 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:46.480 to become obsolete. It really does. It isn't 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.139 just a 12 ,000 seat structure on Campo Aulia 00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:52.379 Street. It is a highly adaptable monument. Beautifully 00:13:52.379 --> 00:13:55.240 said. Thank you. Think about it. It was built 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:59.559 in 1965 to immortalize the 1941 World Cup victory 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:02.820 of Jose Perez Colmenares. Then it transformed 00:14:02.820 --> 00:14:05.559 into this intimidating stronghold during the 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:09.039 2003 to 2009 Tigres de Aragua dynasty. Where 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.779 the sheer volume of winning forced the architecture 00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:14.440 itself to expand. Right. And then it utilized 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:17.100 those upgrades to welcome the international baseball 00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:19.779 community. during the 2006 Caribbean series. 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:23.080 A global stage. And through the 2021 REACT conditioning, 00:14:23.340 --> 00:14:25.720 it successfully bridged the gap from a winter 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:28.879 -only facility to a year -round host for the 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:31.320 Venezuelan Major League, making room for the 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:33.860 Samanis and the Lideres. It is a building that 00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:36.539 continuously reshapes itself to keep Venezuelan 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:38.919 baseball moving forward. It's amazing. It really 00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:40.940 is. And this actually raises an important question. 00:14:41.059 --> 00:14:43.480 It's a concept I want you to consider as we wrap 00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:46.269 up our analysis today. I'm intrigued. We are 00:14:46.269 --> 00:14:49.049 currently living in an era of global sports where 00:14:49.049 --> 00:14:51.549 the prevailing trend is to abandon older facilities. 00:14:51.830 --> 00:14:54.490 Oh, completely. Teams favor constructing massive, 00:14:54.730 --> 00:14:57.850 multi -billion dollar corporate mega stadiums. 00:14:58.029 --> 00:15:00.889 These modern complexes are designed to be pristine, 00:15:00.990 --> 00:15:03.870 sanitized, and infinitely scalable. I feel like 00:15:03.870 --> 00:15:06.850 shopping malls sometimes. They do. Yet, Estadio 00:15:06.850 --> 00:15:10.370 Jose Perez -Gulmenares has survived and thrived 00:15:10.370 --> 00:15:12.769 by doing the exact opposite. Staying small and 00:15:12.769 --> 00:15:16.039 local. Exactly. It has maintained its intimate 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:20.899 12 ,647 seat footprint while continuously layering 00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:24.200 new eras of history on top of the old ones. It 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:25.820 makes you wonder about the long -term economics 00:15:25.820 --> 00:15:28.279 of sports heritage. That's a really fascinating 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:31.019 angle. As leagues continue to expand and the 00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:33.159 financial pressure to build bigger, more lucrative 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:36.080 arenas increases, how much longer can these smaller, 00:15:36.220 --> 00:15:38.659 deeply historical community anchors survive? 00:15:38.980 --> 00:15:41.440 The pressure to modernize is huge. It is. And 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.379 when a city eventually decides... to bulldoze 00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:46.480 a 1965 venue to build a modern complex? Do they 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:49.299 inadvertently destroy the intangible ghosts and 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:51.539 the localized magic that made those teams great 00:15:51.539 --> 00:15:53.539 in the first place? You can't just rebuild history. 00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:56.139 You really can't. So I encourage you to look 00:15:56.139 --> 00:15:58.919 at the historic venues in your own city and ask 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:02.200 yourself, what is the true cost of modernizing 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:04.340 a space if it means erasing the physical history 00:16:04.340 --> 00:16:05.240 that built the fan base?