Sideline vs. PicPortal
Sideline vs. CodeReplacements.ai
Sideline vs. Renamr
MLS Code Replacement Rosters for Sports Photographers
Build ready-to-import Photo Mechanic code replacement files for any MLS matchup.
Browse upcoming games, pick your teams, choose your style, and get a .txt file in seconds.
Select Sport and League
Caption styles
AP Sports, Getty, Imagn, and more — the formats editors expect from wire photographers.
Multiple tab codes
Optional variants so one shortcode can expand to full name, last name only, or other tab-separated fields.
Common phrases
Add sport-specific action codes — runs, tackles, passes — alongside player entries in the same file.
Upcoming games
Pick a game from the calendar and Sideline auto-fills both teams — no hunting through dropdowns on game day.
AI captions next
Use the same rosters in Sideline Captions to AI-caption images automatically on ingest.
Sideline Captions
Want to Go Deeper?
Code replacement files are just the beginning. Sideline Captions is the full workflow platform for sports photographers — rosters, unlimited AI captions, live client galleries, wireless tethering, and auto FTP download in one macOS app.
Everything included · $14.99/month
Sideline Rosters
Every team, always ready.
Building code replacement files by hand isn't the best use of your time. With over 110,000 teams and 1.6M+ players across 250+ leagues, Sideline puts Photo Mechanic-ready roster files seconds away.
Sideline Captions
Stop wasting time writing captions.
You have better things to do. Photographers who use Sideline reduce their captioning time from ~30 seconds per image to just ~2.5 seconds per image — a 12x improvement.
FAQ
MLS roster & captioning FAQ
How do I load MLS code replacements in Photo Mechanic?
Download the .txt file from Sideline, then in Photo Mechanic go to Metadata → Set Code Replacements and select your file. Type a shortcode in any IPTC field and Photo Mechanic expands it to a full player line.
Does Sideline cover all MLS teams?
Yes. All 30 MLS clubs are in the database. Pick any matchup, choose AP, Getty, Imagn, or other caption styles, and download a ready-to-import code replacement file.
Can Sideline AI-caption my MLS photos?
Yes. The same rosters you build here power Sideline Captions on macOS. Point it at a folder of game images and it reads jersey numbers, matches players from your roster, and writes publication-ready captions in AP, Getty, or Imagn style — no shortcodes to type.
Should I use code replacements, AI captions, or both?
It depends on your workflow. Code replacements are great when you are captioning manually in Photo Mechanic and want instant player names from shortcodes. AI captioning shines when you need to get through a full card fast — Sideline writes the entire caption from the image and roster context. Many MLS photographers use both on the same assignment, and both are included in one Sideline subscription.
Can I generate code replacements for other sports too?
Yes — the full league list covers 250+ leagues across 14+ sports, from high school to the pros. Same workflow everywhere: pick a matchup, download your code file, and caption with code replacements or AI.
Popular Leagues
Rosters are just the start.
Sideline Captions includes MLS code replacements, unlimited AI sports captions, Sideline Live galleries, and more — $14.99/month.
Everything included · $14.99/month · Cancel anytime