The matches are to be auctioned off in the spring, following an investigation by the EC competition commissioner Mario Monti, who said that the way the Premier League had packaged matches made it inevitable that they would end up exclusively with Sky. The package up for grabs is for one top-flight match a month, which will air at 5.15pm on Saturdays.
In the new deal signed between Sky and the Premier League, matches were split into four separate packages but there was nothing to stop one company bidding for the lot. Sky subsequently picked all four up, despite bids from ITV and the two cable companies for the Saturday matches.
The BBC declined to comment on bidding but according to insiders the corporation is prepared to make a play for the matches. They are seen to be the perfect compliment to 'Match of the Day' Premiership highlights, which it earlier secured in a £105m deal.
ITV chief executive Charles Allen also confirmed earlier this month that he was keen to bid for the games. He has insisted, however, that he is "absolutely determined" not to overpay after losing money on the £183m it paid for Premier League highlights in 2000.
Pay-TV channels are also free to bid and Five is said to be considering a bid of its own. The games could be a big draw for Five.
BSkyB paid £1bn for the rights to 138 live matches a season and will be reimbursed by the league if it ends up out of pocket following the compulsory auction. The winning bidder will end up screening games from some of the Premier League's biggest clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
The rights will be next negotiated in three years' time and the league has this time promised a more even division of packages between broadcasters, allowing terrestrial stations to get a slice of Premiership action.
Meanwhile, Sky is said to be hatching plans to launch a new interactive service that will allow Premier League fans to follow their team throughout the season either live or "as live".
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