PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Fans might be reacting to what the Rays did last season, or it could be a case of absence making the heart grow fonder. Either way, the defending American League champions are a beloved team at home and on the road this spring.

Rays fever is out there. If you don't believe it, you can look it up. On Friday, the club set a new attendance record at Charlotte Sports Park when a sellout crowd of 6,629 attended. On Saturday at Clearwater's Bright House Field, a new attendance record was set when 10,270 came to watch the Rays play the Phillies. And the team got a standing ovation Friday at sold-out George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

By Jan. 15, every fixed seat at Charlotte Sports Park was sold for all of the Rays' 16 home games. Only berm seating remains, and the club's April 13 home opener against the Yankees is sold out.

Rays manager Joe Maddon has noticed the change.

"After what we did last year, the folks are really showing up," Maddon said. "Furthermore, I like the idea that they're wearing our stuff. They know our guys. They're giving them a cheer every time they step up to do something or even when they walk out of the dugout prior to the game. They're acknowledging what they did last year. We feel the same way about the fans, too. It's great to have them on board, and we just want to keep them there for years to come."

Carlos Pena noticed the heavy dose of Rays fans at the spring home opener Wednesday.

"It was awesome walking out, and people responded very well," Pena said. "That is so cool. We cherish that. We appreciate that. We feel fortunate to have the fan base that we have today and know that it has grown. There are a lot of Rays fans that were there when we were losing, and they stuck it out. And now they're enjoying a team that is a winning team."

The Rays moved their spring camp from St. Petersburg this year after conducting their Spring Training operations there since 1998. The opening of the Rays' new facility at Charlotte Sports Park marked the return of baseball to Charlotte County.

Fans now have to leave St. Petersburg if they want to see the Rays play prior to the regular season.

"We've been able to expand our footprint," Maddon said. "People are maybe thirsting for us a little more now that we're coming in once in a while, and not playing all of our games [in the Tampa Bay area]. It's a good vibe."

Charlotte Sports Park is "a first-class facility," Maddon said. "We can get so much work done on a daily basis. And then [once the regular season begins], we can come back to the Tampa Bay area and play our games in St. Pete, and then have the crowd more or less clamor for us a little more."

Maddon thinks the fans will bring their increased enthusiasm to Tropicana Field for the regular season.

"We've sold a lot more season tickets," Maddon said. "And I really think the folks are going to show up based on what we did last year. Now by continuing to play well this year, I think it's going to be pretty full all the time. So I'm anticipating really big crowds all year."

Maddon believes attendance will be strong despite the tough economy.

"I watch the news every night when I go home and it's very scary for a lot of people," Maddon said. "And I don't know the overall impact. But I also believe we're a great diversion, too. Whereas people are maybe going to want to get out and see good baseball being played. I think that's still a part of our culture, too. ... As long as we're providing a great diversion of playing great baseball, build it and they will come."

James Shields hopes the Rays' popularity will translate to loud home crowds that drown out the cheers of opposing fans.

"I think it changed a lot last year," Shields said. "[At] the beginning of the season, it was kind of a sad sight for us as players. And then all of a sudden in the second half, they all started showing up. It was a lot of fun that way.

"You get the Red Sox fans cheering, then the next thing you know they were getting overpowered by boos. And I like that. So, hopefully, we can start the season off [the same way], and I think we will. The way the town erupted last year with us was something pretty special."