NTL, which last month agreed to acquire rival cable firm Telewest, was understood to be in talks with ITV to mount a joint push to break up BSkyB's monopoly.
In a conference call to journalists, NTL chief executive Simon Duffy said that current proposals for rights to the 2007 to 2010 seasons, which come up for auction next spring, are not attractive enough for the firm to pay for.
The current proposals are set to be approved by the European Commission shortly and would bar BSkyB from bidding for around 20% of games. However, Duffy said this is unrealistic and called for half of all games to be wrested from BSkyB's grasp.
"For other pay-TV companies to be seriously interested you would have to have access to the pubs and clubs economics and that means two equal packages of 50%," Duffy said.
He added that if the current proposals are approved, games not screened by BSkyB are likely to go to a free-to-air broadcaster.
BSkyB, which is almost certain to be able to outbid its rivals, has had the monopoly of Premier League games since it replaced the old first division in 1992. Football has become a key driver for subscriber growth at Sky.
The last season of the old first division in 1991-1992 was the last time free-to-air broadcasting screened live top-flight games.
The European Commission first voiced its concerns about BSkyB's monopoly in 2003.
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