This is quite the revelation. I had no idea that matches can't be watched on TV as they play. is there not even a pay-to-watch service, like with fights?

I've certainly got something to talk about next time I see some of my football fan friends, and I'll have to ask what they do to watch the games, I'm not aware of any of them actually going to the matches when I've known the local (Premier League) team to be playing.