<p>Soccer doesn't appeal to the North American audience. There simply isn't enough pure offensive explosion. How many times have the NFL, NHL, NBA or MLB changed the rules to increase offensive potency? The NHL just did it this year with the elimination of the red line, shootouts and the trapezoid thing behind the goalie nets. The NBA added the three point line and it's basically accepted fact that the refs treat the star players differently. How many times have you heard an analyst say, "He's going to get that call everytime, he's one of the top players in the game!". Remember that whole thing with the juiced balls a couple years ago and how everyone accused MLB of looking the other way with respect to steroid use? Chicks dig the long ball anyone? Look at what the NFL did to encourage more passing with the five yard rule with recievers. </p>
<p>FIFA on the other hand doesn't need to do that. They know that there's no other single sport on Earth that even approaches soccer in terms of popularity. There's no real competition from other sports in Europe, Africa, Central or South America for FIFA to make drastic changes that increase offense and thus appeal to the wider North American audience which is more interested in seeing 3-2, 4-3, 5-4 scores.</p>