The 1997 Premier Development Soccer League season was its 3rd. The season began in April 1997 and ended in August 1997.
Central Coast Roadrunners successfully defended the championship, defeating the Cocoa Expos 3-2. Spokane Shadow won the regular season title, winning 14 games to 2 losses.
6 teams were added for the season.
| Team | Area | Location | Previous affiliation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Saints | Birmingham area | Birmingham, AL | expansion | |
| Cascade Surge | Willamette Valley Area | Salem, OR | from USISL Pro League | |
| Cincinnati Riverhawks | Greater Cincinnati area | Cincinnati, OH | expansion | |
| San Gabriel Valley Highlanders | Greater Los Angeles area | Glendale, CA | expansion | |
| Southwest Florida Manatees | Southwest Florida area | Cape Coral, FL | expansion | |
| Yakima Reds | Yakima area | Yakima, WA | from USISL Pro League |
The Nashville Metros were promoted to the A League. The Arizona Sahuaros (formerly the Arizona Phoenix), Austin Lone Stars, Fort Lauderdale Strikers (formerly Florida Strikers), and San Francisco Bay Seals were promoted to the D-3 Pro League.
6 teams folded after the 1996 season:
The Wichita Blue went on hiatus for this year, and the Willamette Valley Firebirds went on hiatus for the next two years.
Central Coast received a bye to the PDL Semifinals as the defending champion.
The top four teams from every division except the Southwest earn playoff spots. With Central Coast already receiving a bye, the top two teams from the Southwest Division will play each other, however if Central Coast is in the top two, then the third place team receives a playoff spot. The Division winners would then face each other in the Conference finals.
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