A-League bosses and officials from the FFA are keeping their powder dry for a last-gasp launch to the upcoming season to avoid a clash with the AFL and NRL finals.

Many fans are complaining on social media about a distinctly underwhelming build up to the new campaign, which kicks off on October 11 when Adelaide United host champions Sydney FC.

Reigning premiers Sydney FC will kick off the new A-League season in Adelaide, but there won't be much promotion until after the AFL and NRL finals series wrap up. Credit:AAP

But the strategy has been designed to try to maximise the sport's current frugal marketing resources rather than crash head on into the AFL and the NRL finals – the time when advertisements on TV are the most expensive and media is consumed by grand final excitement.

"There's little point in spending what we have now when it will just be obscured by those other codes and when we don't have any product – live games – to sell anyway," one club official said.