Fever GM Amber Cox Defends Fan Base, Says Attacks 'Have No Basis in Reality'
Indiana Fever General Manager Amber Cox used her season-ending press conference to push back against what she called unfounded attacks on the team's fan base, citing security data showing no fans were removed or cited for code-of-conduct violations this season.
Indiana Fever General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Amber Cox used her season-ending press conference to deliver a forceful defense of the team's fan base, saying the criticism directed at Fever supporters «has no basis in reality» and «needs to stop, especially from members of the media.»
Cox made the remarks after speaking to reporters for more than 15 minutes about the season, covering roster improvements, the historic performances of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, and her overall assessment of what worked and what did not. She then read a prepared statement addressing the treatment of Fever fans.
«I just wanted to thank our Fever fan base for all of the support they continue to give us not only at home but on the road,» Cox said. «We have the best fans in the league.» She pointed to the diversity of the fan base, noting that supporters travel to games from all 50 states and 57 countries.
Cox also cited the team's television reach, saying the Fever delivered 14 of the top 15 WNBA broadcasts this season, some of which broke viewership records. The only broadcast outside that group was the WNBA All-Star Game, which featured three Fever players as starters: Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston.
The general manager then addressed the criticism directly. «The attacks on our fan base have no basis in reality, and they need to stop, especially from members of the media,» she said, looking toward the press room while making clear she was not referring to the reporters in attendance. «I'm talking about media that have never been to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.»
Cox acknowledged that every organization in professional sports, down to youth recreational leagues, deals with occasional bad behavior from spectators. But she said the Fever's situation has been mischaracterized, offering what she described as irrefutable facts.
«We did not have one fan, pointed out by a player, who violated the WNBA Code of Conduct this season. Not one fan was removed from a game,» Cox said. She added that the team takes fan conduct «really seriously» and that her position is backed by security statistics and the lived experience of countless fans hosted at every game.
Her comments followed a season in which Fever fans were repeatedly accused of hostile and discriminatory behavior, including claims that surfaced during a playoff series. In one incident, Aces forward A'ja Wilson approached and verbally confronted a Fever fan during a playoff game. In another, Aces point guard Jackie Young attempted to have two Fever fans removed from a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in early August. In both cases, security determined the fans had broken no rules.
Fever fans were also accused of making monkey noises toward Angel Reese during the 2025 season, accusations that were later proven false. The WNBA issued a public statement during the investigation saying it «strongly condemns racism,» a statement that critics felt lent undue validity to the accusation.
Cox struck a lighter tone when describing the atmosphere at Fever games. «Our fans love this team. They're gonna cheer, they're gonna boo, and sometimes, they might point,» she said, a reference to the playoff incident involving Wilson. «Fever games have always been about inclusivity. Sports are the ultimate unifier.»
She said she wants «everyone to be a fan of the Fever» before closing her prepared remarks with a simple «Go Fever.»
Asked afterward to clarify, Cox reiterated that narratives surrounding the fan base during the playoff series were «frankly not true» and that no fan had ever violated the league's fan code of conduct.
She ended with praise for the supporters who fill Gainbridge Fieldhouse. «We have a great fan base. Night in and night out, I walked out and there's 17,000 people cheering us on and they're spending hard-earned money to come here,» Cox said, noting the presence of young children among the crowd.
The remarks marked one of the most direct public defenses of the Fever fan base by a team executive, arriving at the close of a season defined as much by off-court controversy as by the team's performance on it.
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