North Melbourne will host six AFL games in Hobart over the next three years but haven't given up on trying to play in Ballarat in the same time frame.

The Kangaroos will reap $1 million a season from the Tasmanian deal, funded by local councils, business groups and TT Lines, the state-government owned parent company of the Spirit of Tasmania ferries.

The Tasmanian government last year rejected the Roos' bid to play four games a season at Bellerive Oval, citing budget pressures and its commitment to Hawthorn, who have a multi-million dollar deal in place for hosting four matches a year in Launceston.

North Melbourne had also planned to play games in Ballarat, the home of its VFL affiliate, and secured a funding promise for that deal from the Victorian ALP.

But the plan was put on hold when the coalition won government in November.

Kangaroos chairman James Brayshaw said the club was still looking to play in Ballarat.

"I think Ballarat is really exciting. I think regional AFL games in a regional centre outside of Melbourne is an unbelievable thing to happen," he said on Tuesday.

"Is it going to happen? I hope so."

The Kangaroos have had a troubled past of selling games interstate, dating back to the mid-1990s when they played home games in Sydney.

The club has also played in Canberra and the Gold Coast, and rejected a lucrative offer to relocate to the latter city when Brayshaw became chairman.

Brayshaw said the Kangaroos saw Hobart as a long-term second home for the club.

"We look at it as a genuine partnership with the city and its people," he said.

"We want to get down here, we want to get our hands dirty, involving ourselves in all that is AFL football in Hobart.

"The hope is that in three, five, ten years, southern Tasmanian people see North Melbourne as their team."

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said Bellerive Oval was perfect for top flight games, despite claims it required upgrades worth more than $20 million.

"There are certain things that need to be done to get it up to scratch, but not large-scale things," he said.

"This ground is ready made for AFL football. It's a beauty, to be honest.

"It's about $100,000 (of improvements), and I've got no doubt the money will be found between the various parties."

Demetriou said hosting six games a year brought Tasmania closer to having its own club.

"It doesn't hurt it and it doesn't mean it goes backwards. It can only be a positive step," he said.

"I think the future is bright for AFL in Tasmania."

Because the Tasmanian government will not directly fund the deal, it means it can keep its promise of not paying for more AFL, as well as placating vocal opposition to the deal in Launceston.

It also means the government avoids a potential split with the Greens, Labor's minority government partners who have voiced their opposition to any more money being spent on AFL.

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings said TT Lines had not been forced to back the deal in order to help the government out of a tricky political mess.

Demetriou said Hobart would not necessarily be given games involving low-drawing teams such as Port Adelaide and Fremantle.

"I think North Melbourne against Hawthorn is looking pretty good," he said.

"I remember a conversation with (former Tasmanian premier) Jim Bacon where he said, 'I don't want six games of football averaging 12,000 people, I'd rather have four games averaging 18,000 people'.

"Our desire is to promote the game here, to get good teams to play here."

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