If you're allowed to pay for your gas or electricity weeks after using it, then that is a privilege. If you have to feed a prepayment meter beforehand, then it isn't. Your attitude seems to be so subservient that you think the latter is a privilege!
If you can afford the direct debit then you could afford a standing order into a high interest regular savings account. And why would anybody expect to pay interest to the club when you are in effect paying months in advance for any named game?