The Indiana Fever landed in the news this week, after revoking media credentials for longtime independent reporter Scott Agness.
The franchise cited "inaccurate and unsubstantiated information" concerning his coverage of a late Caitlin Clark lineup scratch as reason for the decision. However, the move has drawn criticism from media organizations, renewing questions about how the Fever have handled Clark's injury status this season.
Fever Media Credential Pull Fuels WNBA Transparency Concerns
Agness, who runs the Substack newsletter Fieldhouse Files and has covered the Fever since 2012, announced the ban on Tuesday.
The dispute traces back to a May 20th game against the Portland Fire after the Fever ruled Clark out with back issues roughly two hours before tipoff.
The Indiana guard had not appeared on the league's official injury report the day before, and the team didn't announce her absence until 5:20 PM ET. Both omissions violated WNBA transparency protocols.
Agness tweeted that the decision was part of a "strategic management plan" to protect Clark, adding that there was no significant new injury concern. But Fever PR took issue with the characterization.
Head coach Stephanie White later said Clark sat out of Tuesday's practice with back stiffness and attributed the scratch strictly to that soreness.
"We're not managing anything" White told reporters. "This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to be ready."
The following day, Agness received an email revoking his access to all Fever events.
Caitlin Clark Injury Updates Remain Front-of-Mind for Fever
Clark's back has been a recurring theme for Indiana this season.
She briefly exited the Fever's season opener against the Dallas Wings to have her back adjusted. While the Portland scratch marked her first missed game of 2026, injuries have plagued the All-Star guard in the past two years.
During the 2025 WNBA season, Clark appeared in just 13 of the Fever's 40 WNBA games. And Clark's availability continues to draw close attention from both media and fans.
The Fever vs Fire matchup marked Indiana's fourth in eight days — a scheduling detail that likely informed Agness's original reporting.
Clark herself has acknowledged managing her back, but has not yet characterized it as a serious issue.
With the 2026 WNBA season in full-swing, the franchise's player management transparency will likely remain a storyline as the Fever chase a repeat playoff berth.
