by: Aurel Radulescu

The Canadian Football League, or CFL, is a popular sport that is widely celebrated throughout Canada. If you are reading this article, then you are probably a fan of football, collecting autographs or maybe even a fan of both. Whatever the case, this informative article is designed to provide valuable insight into building your autograph collection at no cost.

One of the most important aspects of collecting CFL autographs through the mail is preparing your request letter. It is recommended that you handwrite your request instead of typing it, which may appear form-like and impersonal. A letter requesting an autograph should be brief, but should also be polite and complimentary. Its a good idea to mention some highlight in the CFL athletes career in order to personalize the letter even more.

The next most important thing to remember is to always include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope). When it comes to collecting autographs through the mail, the lack of a SASE will commonly translate into no response. If you are requesting a signed photo from your favorite CFL superstar, a 9x12 SASE will be sufficient. If you reside in Canada, you can use Canadian postage for your request. If you live in the United States, you will need to either use Canadian postage on the SASE or include several dollars in cash to cover the cost of postage. When your request letter and SASE are ready, place them both inside of a #10 business size envelope, affix one First Class postage stamp on the outside and address accordingly. On the outside of this envelope, your local postage stamps will be sufficient and no special stamps are needed for proper delivery.

Once your request is on the way, remember to be patient in awaiting a response. While a success cannot be guaranteed, it is important to note that response times can be lengthy and often depend on the athletes popularity, the time of the year and the teams schedule. Patience is a virtue that is truly realized by all who collect autographs through the mail. If you reside outside of Canada and are requesting an autograph from a CFL athlete, your request may take even longer as the shipping distance will largely determine your wait time.

You may write to any CFL player in care of their team by using the following example:

Players Name
c/o Team Name
Address Line 1
City, State & Zip Code

Below is a list of every CFL team and current mailing address:

British Columbia Lions
10605-135th St.
Surrey, BC, V3T 4C8

Calgary Stampeders
McMahon Stadium
1817 Crowchild Trail NW
Calgary, Alberta, T2M 4R6

Edmonton Eskimos
9023-111 Ave.
Edmonton, AB, T5B 0C3

Hamilton Tiger Cats
393 Main St. East
Hamilton, ON, L8N 1J7

Montreal Alouettes
1260 University St., Suite 100
Montreal, Quebec, H3B 3B9

Saskatchewan Roughriders
Taylor Field
Box 1277
Regina, SK, S4P 3B8

Toronto Argonauts
1 Blue Jays Way, Suite 3300
Toronto, ON, M5V 1J3

Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1465 Maroons Rd.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 0L6

This article was posted on October 16, 2006