Premier Will Hodgman has confirmed the best interests of a standalone Tasmanian AFL side will be at the forefront of government discussions about the state's football future post-2021.
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With both Hawthorn and North Melbourne's deals set to end following the 2021 season, Hodgman went on record earlier this week saying that the government would consider offers from other clubs moving forward.
Asked whether the government had received interest from other clubs, Hodgman instead reiterated that the government was considering all its options, with securing a Tasmanian team a strong priority.
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"We still have existing deals with the Hawks and Kangaroos through to 2021," Hodgman said.
"They deliver strong social and economic benefits to Tasmania, but those deals will not and should not limit progression towards our own team.
"We will consider, in conjunction with all key stakeholders and partners, the preferred arrangements for AFL content in the state between 2021 and what we hope will be the establishment of a Tasmanian AFL team."
Hawthorn first started playing home games at UTAS Stadium in 2001, while North Melbourne has been in Hobart since 2012.
The Hawks' most recent five-year deal is worth $19 million, while financial details of the Kangaroos' deal with TT-Line have never been publicly released.
Earlier in the week, Hodgman told 3AW that renewals of the Hawthorn and North Melbourne were far from foregone conclusions.
"That's one option - (but) it doesn't have to be a rollover of the same deals, it could be an entirely different thing and there could be any number of other clubs that are interested in playing here as well," he said.
"We've got fierce rivalry now from the NBL, they want to look at a team down here, the A-League are interested and so the AFL needs to get with the program and be aware of the competitive nature of what's happening in Tasmanian sport.
"So the AFL have an important role in my view to set down a time frame and a pathway for us to address any impediments that they see we have and we'll get on with doing that between now and when that licence becomes available."
The push for a standalone Tasmanian team appears to finally be gaining some momentum, with journalist Caroline Wilson reporting in March that a team could be established as early as 2026.
This year has already seen Tasmania Devils re-enter the country's top-flight under-18 boys' competition, with the state's girls' equivalent set to do the same next year.
A Tasmanian team will also be reinstated to the VFL in 2021 as part of the recommendations laid down by the AFL-led Tasmanian football steering committee last year.