Deviant Behavior, 36:429–440, 2015
Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 0163-9625 print/1521-0456 online
DOI: 10.1080/01639625.2014.935691
Deviant Exploitation of Black Male Student Athletes
on White Campuses
Komanduri S. Murty
Fort Valley StateUniversity, Fort Valley, Georgia, USA
Julian B. Roebuck
Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Considering exploitation—regardless of whether it takes place at the organizational level or individual
level—as inherently deviant, this article examines different types of exploitations experienced by
black male football and basketball student athletes (BSAs) on predominantly white campuses over the
last five decades by utilizing a five-point hypothetical framework. The study findings are in agreement
with those of prior studies conducted in this area by sports scholars and sociologists. Additionally, this
study finds that the exploitation is embedded in social class differences as well as in racial ideology
and discrimination.
INTRODUCTION
The objective of this study is to analyze the different types of exploitations experienced by black
male football and basketball student athletes (BSAs) on predominantly white campuses from
the 1960s through 2013: (a) as depicted in the scholarly sports research literature (1965–2013);
(b) recorded interview data we elicited from black and white SAs about their sports careers on
predominantly white campuses during our combined teaching careers (1960s–2013); and (c) our
campus conversations about BSAs and the student athletes’ system with academic administra-
tors, faculty, staff, athletic department personnel, and white and black non-athlete students. Our
research was conducted at different time intervals at: one middle-Atlantic state university, two
southwestern state universities, four southeastern state universities, and two historically black col-
leges and universities (HBCUs). The four white schools played big-time football and basketball
sports.
LITERATURE REVIEW, FRAME OF REFERENCE, AND METHODOLOGY
We define all types of exploitations herein as deviant behavior because all broke prescribed
academic norms, rules, regulations, goals, and/or expectations (some illegal); whether at the
Received 2 December 2013; accepted 15 May 2014.
Address correspondence to Komanduri S. Murty, Ph.D., Department of Behavioral Sciences, Fort Valley State
University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030-4313, USA. E-mail: murtyk@fvsu.edu