‘Indianapolis Star’ Quietly Suspends Writer Over Caitlin Clark Interaction

Caitlin Clark made her preseason debut for the Fever, the Pacers are in the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Roger Penske is in hot water ahead of the Indianapolis 500. It’s the wildest Indianapolis sports scene in some time—and the city is currently without one of its most prominent sporting voices.

Longtime Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel is serving a two-week suspension for an awkward April 17 press conference encounter with Caitlin Clark. The news was reported first by Bob Kravitz, a longtime reporter in Indianapolis, who said the suspension was handed down by both the Star and its parent company, Gannett. 

Doyel’s last byline came April 29 in a piece about the Colts, almost two weeks after he made national headlines at Clark’s introductory press conference in Indianapolis following her being selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA by the Fever. At that presser, Doyel used his hands to make a heart sign at Clark—a gesture she often made while playing at Iowa—who asked in response, “You like that?”

Doyel replied, “I like that you’re here.” 

“I do that at my family after every game,” Clark said. 

“Well,” Doyel said, “start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.” 

The interaction was widely criticized on social media as unnecessary, unprofessional, cringey, inappropriate, and sexist, while Clark was applauded for her composure throughout. Doyel later apologized for his “oafish … clumsy and awkward” behavior both on X and in a column, but apparently that wasn’t enough for his superiors. 

Kravitz reported that Doyel’s suspension is set to end May 13, but when he comes back it doesn’t appear likely that he’ll cross paths with Clark again. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Star said that “sports columnist Gregg Doyel will not be covering the Indiana Fever” but that they do not comment on personnel matters. Doyel’s email sent an auto-response that said he was “getting tired” and “taking time off” before returning May 13, the same day Kravitz wrote his suspension was set to end.

The Fever declined to comment, while the WNBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.