
Caitlin Clark missed her first game of the WNBA season on May 20. The Indiana Fever superstar was a late scratch for their game against the Portland Fire due to a back injury.
The injury was not serious, and Clark returned for the Fever’s next game. However, Indiana received a warning from the WNBA for how it handled the situation.
The league was unhappy that the Fever did not disclose Clark’s injury in advance. She was not listed on the injury report heading into the game, and the decision to rule her out came less than two hours before the game started.
At the center of the injury saga was veteran reporter Scott Agness, who runs an independent news site named Fieldhouse Files. Agness, one of the longest-standing beat reporters for the Fever, was one of the first to report on Clark’s injury absence on May 20.
As it turns out, the Fever’s public relations team was not at all pleased with how Agness reported the news.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark will NOT play tonight vs Portland Fire. I’m told it’s part of a strategic management plan for the season.
Tonight is the Fever’s fourth game in eight days.
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 20, 2026
On Tuesday, Agness revealed that the Fever PR had informed him via email that his credentialed access to all team events had been revoked. According to Agness, the team was particularly displeased with how he framed Clark’s injury absence as a “strategic management plan.” Fever PR called the reporter out for “the spread of inaccurate and unsubstantiated information.”
Agness went on to further shed light on the situation, at least from his perspective. He also raised other concerns about dealing with both the Fever and the Indiana Pacers’ PR teams.
Either way, Agness has now lost his exclusive access to official team gatherings and events. He will not be able to interview the players and the coaches in an official capacity, either. Nevertheless, Agness committed to continuing to cover the Fever in his own capacity.
The Fever PR is clearly sending a message here. They are not taking any nonsense from reporters, regardless of their stature. Any violations of team policies will be met with drastic measures.
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