I think pairs need "stars", not necessary american stars, it help but Yu-Na is korean, Mao is Japanese, V/M canadians and all of them are very popular, so is not indispensable to be american. I remember the first time I watched Shen/Zhao 2003 worlds, I was so impressed, I immediatly thought that pairs was the most amazing category, I thought there two persons, jumps, twist, throw jumps, spins, footwork, lifts, what else I can ask? but I really was blinded because Shen/Zhao were so wonderful and the true was the others pairs were simply not so great, but I think the four categories have much to offer, it simply need to have someone to shine to show the best qualities of the discipline, It is more difficult in pairs because I think almost nobody thinks to be in pairs since kids, neither their parents, and I understand them, it is very dangerous, I remember an interview with Shibutanis about why they did not choose pairs and they answered "because the lifts", Alex said "I don`t want to be responsible for a fall". A lot of skaters swith to pairs when they are older because they are not doing good in singles. V/M and D/W are very good because they are competing and training ice dance since they were children.