Actually, I'd put the money issue simpler.
Lower division teams have a lower income. $10k per scrimmage would represent a higher percentage of their weekly income than it would for a higher division team. And since weekly payroll is usually lower for lower division teams, the scrimmage income would go a longer way to covering costs. So even a straight up 50/50 split of the intake goes further in lower divisions than higher divisions.
Don't ask what sort of Chunks they are, you probably don't want to know. Blowing Chunks since Season 4!