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West Valley City • To put the Utah Blaze's comeback season of 2009 in perspective, consider the fact the rebuilt Arena Football League team had as many head coaches as victories.

Two coaches.

Two wins. Fourteen losses.

And what about those thousands of empty seats at the Maverik Center, where Utah averaged only 5,214 fans in eight home games?

Clearly, the new Blaze struggled.

Despite the obvious woes, however, those in charge of the franchise believe the foundation has been laid for future success in a market that strongly supported the original brand of AFL football — before the league went on hiatus and eventually folded in 2009.

"We have no doubt there's a place in Salt Lake for Arena Football," said general manager Steve Videtich. "We're certain we will get it back to what it was."

Two years ago, the Blaze averaged 14,513 fans per game at EnergySolutions Arena and, despite a 6-10 record, reached the playoffs.

But it turned out to be the original Arena League's final season.

As owners attempted to reorganize in the face of mounting financial losses, the 2009 season was canceled. In August 2009, the league was $14 million in debt and declared bankruptcy. By summer's end, the AFL was dissolved. In October, however, the Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators joined Arena Football 1, a no-frills indoor league considered a step down from the Arena Football League. More franchises followed, including the Blaze.

Fifteen teams kicked off in April, with players and coaches working for sharply reduced salaries as employees of the new league.

Each team was allowed to pay three players $1,000 per game. Everybody else made $400. In the old Arena League, players received a team total of $2.2 million a year, including health insurance and other benefits.

The new Blaze, now owned by Logan Hunter and Kristin Murdock without former partner Dave Affleck, still managed to quickly sign a roster full of players.

The entire operation was up and running in less than three months. "For anybody to do anything in that amount of time with a professional sports organization, it's a tall order," Videtich said.

"But we were happy to get the product back in front of the fans. [Taking] two years off would have been bad for the league. So we were happy to get back into the public awareness and play ball again."

On the field, however, the Blaze struggled.

After a 1-6 start, coach Ernesto Purnsley was fired. He was replaced by veteran AFL coach Ron James and, slowly, Utah became more competitive.

In the final four weeks of the season, the Blaze won in Dallas (51-41), lost at Huntsville (68-64) and dropped a close game to playoff-bound Jacksonville (67-56).

"We finally hit our stride," said James, who last week had his contract extended through 2011. Said Videtich, a former Blaze player, "Ron didn't have his guys. He made do with what he had. But we finished strong and that's what we're looking for in the future — what the fans should expect. We want to competitive every night and win our share."

Gibson takes the stated mission one step farther.

"I've made it clear to our people that we expect to be a top-tier team by 2012," he said.

A key to the Blaze's future success — on the field and in Utah — could hinge on the job Videtich and James do during the offseason.

"We feel, if we do put a quality product on the field, the people will gravitate to us," Gibson said.

The Blaze have seven months to reorganize and win back the fans who supported the AFL so enthusiastically just two years ago. The free agency period began Monday.

"The offseason is everything for Arena Football," James said, "and I'll have the whole offseason to scout, recruit and get the kind of players into our system that we want."

In addition to visiting NFL camps around the country, James plans to be a regular at the games and practices of BYU, Utah, Utah State, Weber State and Southern Utah.

"We have great college football in Utah," he said. "It would be a shame if we can't get some of those players to come here and wear a Blaze uniform."

But what about the Arena League's future?

After the year away, attendance across the board dropped from 12,957 per game to 7,700. Only five teams averaged more than 10,000 last season.

TV exposure was limited, too, because ESPN abandoned the league, leaving games to the NFL Network.

On the other hand, Philadelphia, San Jose and Kansas City will field new teams next season.

"Hindsight is always 20-20," said Gibson. "So what the league did, in essence, was eliminate aspects that weren't good for business.

"Going forward, we have a business model that's extremely viable and owners who are fully engaged in how this league runs. They are firmly committed to taking this league to the next level."

John Garff, whose family owned the original Blaze, hopes the rebuilt franchise succeeds.

"They have a lot of challenges ahead," he said, "but we certainly wish them the best." —

Blazing away

• After the original Arena Football League folded, the rebuilt Utah Blaze finished 2-14 last season.

• The Blaze averaged only 5,214 fans for their eight home games at the Maverik Center.

• The Blaze are already making plans to play again in an 18- or 19-team AFL in 2011.