Indiana Fever reporter Scott Agness revealed that the team revoked his credentials after he reported on star Caitlin Clark and her playing status for the team’s May 20 game against the Portland Fire.
The situation arose when Clark didn’t appear on any injury reports the day before her team’s game against Portland, but 100 minutes before tip-off, the team ruled her out of the nationally televised game due to a lingering “back” issue.
Meanwhile, because Agness tweeted that the reason for her not playing in that game was “part of a strategic management plan for the season,” the Fever’s PR team indicated that it was ” the spread of inaccurate and unsubstantiated information.”
As a result, Agness revealed on Tuesday in his “Fieldhouse Files” that the Fever revoked his credentialed access to all team events, which will limit what he can cover in his reports going forward, including player interviews and on-location reporting.
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After learning of his credentialed access situation, Agness indicated that he stands by his initial reporting and the intent behind it. He explained that he had previously updated his story with additional information regarding the May 20 game and comments from Fever head coach Stephanie White, as well as from Clark about her back issue.
According to Agness, he was reporting on “a team and player balancing short-term availability with long-term health.”
In today’s update, he said he has no issue with people disagreeing with the wording or interpretation, calling it “part of the relationship between teams and the media.”
“What should not be in dispute is that the reporting was sourced, that it was updated as new information became available, and that readers were given the full context available at the time,” he wrote in today’s update.
Agness has covered the Indiana Fever since 2013 and also covers the Indiana Pacers. However, he mentioned in his “Fieldhouse Files” update that his access to the team became more limited ahead of the 2023-24 season.
He also explained more about the situation with the Pacers in today’s update, noting an untrue claim that he parked in the media lot for an event “without the appropriate passes or clearance.”
He said he wasn’t sure whether his relationship with the Pacers may also have impacted the Fever’s recent revocation of his credentials. Still, based on Agness’ update today, he plans to continue covering both teams for “Fieldhouse Files” on Substack despite some limits imposed by the “team-imposed restrictions” on him.
Regarding Clark, last season she dealt with an injury that limited her to 13 games for the Fever, keeping her out of her team’s entire postseason run. This season, there was optimism after she participated in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament and won the TISSOT Most Valuable Player award.
She returned to the lineup, seeming healthy and ready to go this season. So far, she has played in seven of the Fever’s eight games, averaging 20.1 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game.
Clark ranks fifth in scoring and first in assists in the WNBA. Indiana is currently 4-4 in the early part of the WNBA season and hopes to once again contend as the postseason approaches.
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