The Sports Report: Crypto.com arena will look different next time you visit

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From David Wharton: There is a new mantra at Crypto.com Arena that has nothing to do with basketball or hockey or rock concerts. The three words appear on small, white signs posted throughout the building.

Pardon Our Dust

The 23-year-old sports venue previously known as Staples Center has launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to rejuvenate itself during the offseason, with construction underway at every level. In a place this big, there is enough work to last the next three summers.

“It’s a million square feet,” said Dan Beckerman, chief executive for AEG, which owns the arena. “And you can do a lot with a million square feet.”

Along with customary changes — new jumbo screens, updated concession stands, a better sound system — the project will follow industry trends that emphasize “fan experience” over simply walking in and finding a seat.

At Crypto.com, that means eliminating the street between the arena and L.A. Live to create a tree-lined public plaza with music and big-tent attractions. It means adding a glass-walled club so patrons can watch players file out of the locker room.

More significantly, crews will blast out the upper seats at one end, creating an indoor/outdoor space where fans can mingle on a terrace overlooking downtown, then stroll inside the bowl to peer down on the court.

DODGERS

From Jack Harris: Max Muncy’s self-belief was wavering earlier this season, as he floundered during his return from an elbow injury.

The Dodgers’ trust in the veteran slugger, however, never ceased.

It’s why the infielder, who will turn 32 on Thursday, continued to play every day, even with his batting average hovering around .160.

It’s why he still hit in the middle of the order, even as his trademark power flickered with just nine home runs in his first 83 games.

And it’s why the Dodgers’ front office engaged with Muncy’s agent on contract negotiations late last month, eager to work out a new deal, even with the team holding a club option for Muncy next season.

A new deal was finally completed Monday, with the team announcing it had signed Muncy to a one-year extension for $13.5 million next year, plus a club option in 2024 for $10 million plus incentives with no buyout.

RAMS

From Gary Klein: During the last five months, Allen Robinson and other new or young Rams receivers worked to build rapport with quarterback Matthew Stafford.

There were several hurdles.

Because of tendinitis in his right elbow, Stafford did not throw passes during offseason workouts or minicamp. In training camp at UC Irvine, coaches and trainers limited Stafford’s workload. Plus, coach Sean McVay holds Stafford and other key players out of preseason games.

Joint practices with the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday and Thursday in Cincinnati will be the first time Robinson will work with Stafford against an opponent other than Rams’ defensive backs.

“To actually be out there and have the opportunity to run through some of that stuff will be fun,” Robinson said Monday after practice.

ANGELS

Randy Arozarena hit a tiebreaking home run in the fifth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Angels 2-1 on Monday night.

Jeffrey Springs pitched effectively into the sixth inning for the Rays, who have won eight of 10 and moved a half-game ahead of Toronto and Seattle in the AL wild-card race.

Arozarena hit his 17th homer of the season, and fifth in 12 games, off Tucker Davidson (2-4) after Mike Trout had tied the game in the fifth with an RBI single.

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1898 — Malcolm Whitman wins the men’s singles title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championship.

1926 — Molla Bjurstedt Mallory beats Elizabeth Ryan to capture her seventh singles title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships.

1933 — The first televised boxing match is an exhibition fight between Archie Sexton and Laurie Raiteri, staged at the Broadcasting House in London.

1946 — The College All-Stars beat the Los Angeles Rams 16-0 at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

1947 — The College All-Stars beat the Chicago Bears 16-0, before a record crowd of 105,840 at Chicago’s Soldier Field. It’s the second and last time that the college team won in consecutive years.

1969 — Audrey McElmory becomes the first American to win the world road cycling championship which is held in Brno, Czechoslovakia. McElmury overcomes rain and a fall during the fourth lap of the 62-kilometer race to beat Britain’s Bernadette Swinnerton by one minute and 10 seconds.

1975 — Classical Way completes the trotting sweep by winning the Challenge Cup in 3:07.1 at Roosevelt Raceway.

1987 — Callit wins the International Trot in 2:33.4 at Roosevelt Raceway.

1995 — Denis Pankratov of Russia breaks a 9-year-old world record in the men’s 100-meter butterfly at the European swimming championships in Vienna, Austria with a time of 52.32 seconds.

2004 — The U.S. softball team wins its third straight gold medal with a nearly unblemished romp through the Olympics, capped by a 5-1 victory over Australia. Lisa Fernandez pitches a four-hitter and Crystl Bustos homers twice in the Americans’ best all-around game of the tournament.

2008 — At the Beijing Games, Angel Matos of Cuba and his coach are banned for life after the taekwondo athlete kicks the referee in the face following his bronze-medal match disqualification against Kazakhstan’s Arman Chilmanov. Matos is declared the loser for taking too much injury time after hurting his leg. Matos angrily questions the call, pushes a judge, then pushes and kicks referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden.

2012 — Lance Armstrong chooses not to pursue arbitration in the drug case brought against him by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. That’s his last option in his bitter fight with USADA and his decision sets the stage for the titles to be stripped and his name to be all but wiped from the record books of the sport he once ruled.

2014 — Nick Davila passes for 237 yards and eight touchdowns and the Arizona Rattlers win their third consecutive ArenaBowl title with a 72-32 victory over the Cleveland Gladiators.

2015 — Ohio State becomes the first unanimous preseason No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll. The defending national champion Buckeyes, receive all 61 first-place votes from the media panel in the rankings.

2015 — Usain Bolt wins the 100-meter race at the World Championships in Beijing, edging Justin Gaitlin by 0.01 seconds.

2020 — Takuma Sato of Japan wins his second Indianapolis 500 under yellow caution flag after a crash with three laps remaining.

Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally

Vin Scully receives the Icon Award from ESPN. Watch and listen here.