The nature of violence associated with professional sporting activities in mainstream Australian sporting culture is explored through three key features: the nature of the connection between incidents which occur on the field and among spectators, trends in violence within sporting culture in light of broader cultural developments, and patterns of control which influence the occurrence of violence both on and off the field and in the community in general. The article examines trends in sporting violence during four periods: 1859-1896, 1897-1939, 1940-1982, and 1983-1993. The analysis indicates that, in general, relations between spectators and participants have eroded Australian football has become more professional, and controls on disorderly spectators have become more stringent. 17 references