Sky COO Richard Freudenstein has hit out at the attempt by ITV and NTL to steal away some of its Premiership rights.

The broadcasters last week announced their intent to table a joint bid for half of the rights, should the European Commission succeed in breaking them up.

"[The offer] has hardly had the club chairmen jumping from their seats," Freudenstein wrote in The Observer on Sunday. "Not surprising, considering they had so recently caused such trouble, with NTL reneging on its £328 million pay-per-view bid with the Premiership in 2000 and, a year later, the fiasco of the £180m ITV Digital default.

"The ITV/NTL stunt was an attempt to influence the European Commission as it considers a case against the Premier League's collective sale of media rights. The proposal could put at risk the health of football at every level; there is a significant threat that it will lead to consumers suffering and is not supported by anybody with the interests of football at heart."

He argued that a regulatory intervention splitting the rights amongst several broadcasters would lessen their total value to the Premiership. "That is not in the interests of fans, who risk seeing star players transferring to other leagues, revenue being made up through higher gate prices and less grassroots investment."

The League and the Commission are due to hold talks tomorrow (Tuesday) to debate the proposed regulation.