Drama seems to find the Indiana Fever wherever they go, but this time, it’s of their own making. WNBA reporter Scott Agness’s media credentials were revoked by the franchise this week after a telling report on Caitlin Clark’s fitness rubbed the franchise the wrong way.
Agness’s livelihood was directly affected by the Fever’s decision, especially for a seemingly accurate report in which Clark’s back injury maintenance plan was corroborated by a quote from head coach Stephanie White.
Agness has since opened up to his Substack subscribers, providing full context for the report in question, and addressed how his livelihood has been hit by the team’s decision.
Scott Agness Addresses Eyebrow-Raising Turn of Events Around Fever Star Caitlin Clark
In his Substack article for Fever fans and subscribers, Agness described receiving an email from Fever PR stating that his credentials were revoked after he wrote a report on Clark’s back injury maintenance following her recent absence from a game, despite not being on the injury report. The email cited “inaccurate and unsubstantiated information” as the reason behind the decision.
Agness believed his word choice, “strategic management plan,” to describe the Fever’s management of Clark’s health, was what the team disapproved of.
In his article, he provided further context, including quotes from Clark, an understanding of her body, and that she doesn’t believe her back is a concern. He stressed that it wasn’t load management but rather a precautionary measure, given the raft of injuries Clark suffered throughout last season.
In his message to readers, he discussed his long resume covering pro Indiana basketball, pointing out that he is the longest-tenured writer covering the Fever since 2013, before the WNBA took off. Also talking of the significant readership he’s built, he wrote: “My work received more than 7.3 million views in the last 12 months.”
Agness also opened up on how, without credentialed access, some of the depth of his reporting will be more limited. “This is my livelihood. I remain committed to covering the Fever, the Pacers, and professional basketball in Indiana with the same standards I always have. However, without credentialed access, some aspects of coverage will be more limited.”
The Fever’s decision brought swift condemnation from fellow reporters around the WNBA, who stood up for their colleague.
The PBWA WNBA chapter board released a strong statement strongly disapproving of the Fever’s decision: “The PBWA objects in the strongest possible terms to any reporter losing access for the act of reporting.” The statement also added: “Any effort to prevent reporters from doing the work of informing the public reflects poorly on any team.”
Statement from PBWA WNBA Chapter board: Howard Megdal, Kareem Copeland, Alexa Phillipou, Cassandra Negley and Sabreena Merchant to @FOS on Scott Agness/Fever credential situation: https://t.co/l38qzj130e pic.twitter.com/pstAHNNrAK
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) June 3, 2026
Revoking respected writers for a fully sourced report that a team simply doesn’t like not only makes the role of a beat writer that much harder, but it also makes the writer’s job that much more difficult to provide accurate reporting to the public, was the argument.
Across WNBA media circles, the Fever’s decision is being seen as highly problematic in many respects and has been roundly criticized in a bid to ensure this doesn’t become a common occurrence across the league.
