Why do college athletes reap more rewards than college scholars?

I just watched Aasif Manvi expose how the poor NCAA athletes don't get paid a salary or get paid for endorsing products. All they get is a scholarship, financial aid, and free health care. They don't even get free health care after graduating.

OK here's what I don't get: **** those athletes. What about the microbiology student that is excelling on the debate team? The system screws him because he is out of shape. He may be eligible for a scholarship, but the athlete still has access to more scholarship money. He doesn't get any special health care. After graduating, those NCAA athletes will be able to get endorsement dollars, even if they barely graduated. Our microbiologist could graduate magna *** laude, but he still won't attract anybody to pay him to endorse a product.

So ultimately, my question is this: Why--in an academic environment--do athletes reap more rewards than scholars?