DOCKLANDS' third level will be closed for North Melbourne's match against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday.

The decision was made after a meeting between the football club, the AFL and stadium management on Tuesday.

North has been vocal this season about the financial effect of playing at the stadium when crowds are below par.

In their last two games at Docklands, the Roos pulled crowds of 15,436 (against Fremantle) and 14,342 (Port Adelaide).

Chief executive Eugene Arocca warned earlier this month that the club could not afford to continue to play home games when the attendance was under 31,000 – the figure needed to break even on its match-day return.

"Every person under that figure (31,000) starts driving the figure (match-day return) down until you get to minus five dollars per head," he said.

"When you realise clubs are getting 20,000 people and writing out cheques for $100,000, there's not a lot of time up our sleeve."

According to the club’s website, the initiative was implemented to not only maximise the match-day return but improve the atmosphere inside the stadium.

General admission seating normally available on level three will be shifted to level one at no additional charge for patrons.

The Lions played at the same venue last weekend, where 30,673 fans watched them lose narrowly to ladder leader St Kilda.