Reuters reports that TalkSport claim the BBC spent £39 million for the national rights to air the games on Radio 5 Live so that it could lock up exclusivity, while the next highest bid for a package of fewer matches was £2.6 million.
"The BBC is happy to overpay, because it guarantees that they hold on to their monopoly - and the rights holder is the happy beneficiary of their largesse even if this means the BBC hoards the games," TalkSport managing director Michael Franklin said.
TalkSport's parent company, Wireless Group Plc, took its complaint to regulators in Brussels, and they are now investigating the matter it said. TalkSport also said the EC will make a decision in the next few months about whether the deal with the BBC is anticompetitive.
The BBC denied that it bid as much TalkSport claims but declined to provide a specific figure. It did say that the deal it reached in June to broadcast Premiership games on the radio was better than its last agreement.
"The BBC always bids what it believes to be the current market value for rights, and this current contract represents better value at a lower price than the previous contract," a BBC spokeswoman said.
TalkSport had wanted to buy rights to certain games but was turned down after the BBC purchased rights to air 222 out of the 380 games played each season and was granted exclusivity.
"I cannot understand what the BBC are so scared of," Franklin said. "Why not share the rights at a fraction of the cost and allow TalkSport to provide a commercial alternative?"
The BBC and the Premier League contend that games are also broadcast on local commercial radio and available on club web sites.
