NORTH Melbourne is set to begin negotiations on a new Hobart deal next week, when the Roos will continue their push to increase their annual commitment at Blundstone Arena to three games a season.
North chief executive Carl Dilena and AFL scheduling manager Simon Lethlean will travel to Hobart next Thursday (June 12) to meet with the Roos' existing Tasmanian sponsors (TT-Line, RACT and the Hobart City Council) and Cricket Tasmania, which manages Blundstone Arena.
The Roos' existing three-year deal to play two games a season in Hobart expires at the end of this year, with speculation rife that any new deal will be limited to two years so that it expires at the same time as Hawthorn's Launceston deal, at the end of 2016.
Such speculation was fuelled by incoming AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan's comments in April that the AFL's ideal model in Tasmania was to have one team play up to eight games a season.
Both North and Hawthorn said at the time they would not be prepared to play that many games a year in Tasmania.
A League spokesman told AFL.com.au on Tuesday it was premature to speculate on the likely terms of any new deal for North to play in Hobart.
There have been reports that North could finalise a new deal by the time of its round 17 clash with St Kilda at Blundstone Arena on July 12.
But the Hobart City Council will not have made a decision by then on whether it will continue to fund North games beyond 2014.
The council has commissioned a report on the benefits of North games in Hobart, which is not due to be considered by a full sitting of the Council until July 14.
Hobart alderman Marti Zucco told AFL.com.au the council would make a decision soon after that.
"As far as I'm concerned, as long as the report shows that the games have provided benefits – not just economic benefits, but social benefits too – then I think AFL football is something the state is embracing and will embrace into the future," Zucco said.
McLachlan has been invited to North's round 17 clash with St Kilda and is planning to attend.
Twitter: @AFL_Nick
