NORTH Melbourne will wait at least until the end of this year before deciding whether to seek an increase in the number of games it plays in Hobart, new CEO Carl Dilena says.  

North is about to enter the second year of its three-year deal to play two matches a season at Hobart's Blundstone Arena.

Already the Roos' venture into the Apple Isle has been so successful that Hobart City Council and AFL Tasmania have said they would like to see the Roos double their number of annual Hobart games from 2015.

The Roos' first two matches in Hobart last year, against Greater Western Sydney (round two) and West Coast (round 15), generated at least $2.5 million for the local economy, according to a Tourism Tasmania study released in January.

And the Tasmanian government last month committed $15 million to a redevelopment of Blundstone Arena that will increase its capacity from 15,000 to 20,000.

Dilena told AFL.com.au that North had been delighted with the start of its Hobart venture, but said it was too early to consider increasing its presence there from 2015.

"Our focus is really to do the best we can with our current contract and then assess that as we get to the back-end of that," Dilena said.

"I know there has been a lot of positive feedback on the way things have gone to date, so I'm sure there'd be local interest for more games.

"We haven't discussed it in any detail at board level as yet because it's early days."

Dilena said it was likely North and its Tasmanian partners – TT-Line, the Hobart City Council and the RACT – would discuss North's post-2014 involvement in Hobart after its Blundstone Arena games against the Sydney Swans (round three) and Port Adelaide (round six) this year.

Asked whether there was scope for North to play more games in Hobart, Dilena said: "I think you toss those things around. We haven't come to any conclusions.

"There is great support down there, that's going well. Ultimately, though, it's up to the AFL and what they're prepared to schedule."
Speaking at the launch of North's 2013 community camp in Ballarat, Dilena said the Roos also remained open to playing home and away games in Ballarat.

Although a lack of government funding for a redevelopment of North Ballarat's Eureka Stadium remains a stumbling block, Dilena said the Roos could eventually split their home games between Melbourne, Hobart and Ballarat.

"I think that's definitely an option. It's something we've considered before as a model going forward," Dilena said.

"And if it all shaped up and had AFL and government support it's something that we would seriously look at.

"We're at the mercy of the AFL fixture with all of that, but we see the capacity to spread some games in Hobart and Ballarat, no problem at all."

However, Dilena stressed North would always seek to maintain a strong fixture of Melbourne-based home games.

"That's a critical focus for us, making sure we've got exposure in Melbourne," he said.