Primary October 15 notice checked October 17, 2026. Label scope and charges are operator statements; no service selection, grade or resale benefit was independently tested.
WHY IT MATTERS
Record the card, assigned grade and optional label separately. The Sports Illustrated logo is a presentation choice for sports submissions, and its $8 add-on is neither the grading fee nor a purchased Pristine result.
The logo option is broader than SI-issued cards
CGC’s October 15 announcement says its red Sports Illustrated logo label is now available for all sports cards. It follows the July introduction of licensed labels for Sports Illustrated magazines and SI Kids sports cards. A collector therefore should not read the new logo on a holder as proof that Sports Illustrated manufactured the enclosed card.
Preserve the card’s actual year, manufacturer, set, number and variant beside the label choice. The customized presentation and the underlying collectible are separate record fields. A familiar athlete and a prominent publication logo should not replace the exact issue when comparing copies.
The $8 charge is additional to the service
The announcement prices each custom label at an additional $8 per collectible. It describes choosing the grading tier and sports collectible first, then selecting the custom-label option in the submission process. That is not an $8 total grading quote.
CGC says the label options can accompany CGC grading, CGC Signature Series or CGC x JSA Authentic Autograph submissions. Selecting a presentation does not settle which authentication or grading work a particular item needs. Obtain the applicable service quote and eligibility information before adding the label choice.
Gold Pristine presentation is not a purchased grade
The notice says the gold Pristine 10 label version is reserved for qualifying submissions. Its availability as a design should not be read as an upgrade that the $8 add-on purchases. The card’s assigned result still needs to be read in full.
For a matching display, decide whether the label artwork matters to the project without predicting the grade a submitted card will receive. For a purchase, compare the offered holder and exact designation with the certification record, rather than assuming two cards with similar logos have the same result.
Keep a presentation preference out of a price claim
A custom label may suit a personal display, but this announcement does not establish a resale premium or prove demand for that design. No submission, label selection, grading outcome or transaction was tested for this report.
Keep the original card identity, service choice, label option and complete quote together. The useful decision is whether the extra presentation serves the collection, not whether a recognizable logo can stand in for a different printing or a higher grade.
