Scottish Rugby Union chief executive Bill Watson insists that the Irish, Scottish and Welsh authorities are unconcerned by a lack of a major sponsor for their new Celtic League competition.

Professional teams from each country will compete in the tournament which will add a new dimension to the Welsh/Scottish League in the opening weeks of the campaign.

But the lengthy and protracted negotiations over television rights in Wales have prevented organisers offering the tournament for sponsorship.

However Watson highlights the example of the European Cup as a reason for nobody to lose hope in the new initiative.

``It is fair to say that the broadcasting negotiations were complex and took a lot longer than we wanted,'' said Watson.

``But it was a major achievement to unravel that and come to arrangement agreeable to every party.

``However, we can understand why because the Welsh had to integrate the television rights and we had to find a way to deal with that.

``I recognised that the longer it went on, the more difficult it was to find a major sponsor to put together a professional package for the tournament.

``But the Heineken Cup only picked up its sponsor at the last minute.''

However, while many will be concerned that the Scottish public will miss out on live television coverage unlike Ireland and Wales, Watson insists that Edinburgh Gunners and Glasgow Warriors fans will not miss out.

``Most of the games are played on the Friday evening and we will have highlights on Sunday,'' said Watson.

``Other broadcasters would expect to see it on the digital platform and there will be a mix of single and multi-cameras at various venues.

``It is a practical difficulty. If you look at television scheduling, it is difficult.

``But you can find on Eurosport on a Friday or Saturday night that you are picking up delayed highlights.''

Watson concedes that the likelihood of a full British League including Irish clubs is still a long way off.

But he admits that the arrival of the Celtic League will go some way to helping end the dominance of England.

``We have always said that that (British League) is the ultimate product,'' said Watson. ``The idea is not dead and buried but it is fairly distant at this time knowing how other nations are looking at things.

``If you asked all the participants in the league, they would see the great
need to have a tournament like this.

``English rugby is at the highest level and we needed to create a level for our players to play at the very highest level in the most intensive way. This provides that platform.''

Edinburgh Gunners chief executive Nick Oswald is confident that the fans will take to the new competition when the club face Munster at Myreside in their opener on Friday.

``A huge marketing effort has gone on in recent weeks and I do detect a new interest,'' said Oswald.

``I spoke to a number of people at the Saracens last week and they said they like what they saw.

``I'm now hopeful that a big crowd will turn out for the re-launched Gunners on Friday in a Celtic League which I'm sure will go from strength to strength.''

But Glasgow Warriors chief executive David Jordan has urged patience from all to allow the new tournament to find its feet.

``I think the Celtic League will take time to become the significant tournament I'm sure it will become,'' said Jordan. ``It took the Heineken Cup five years to become what it is today. The Celtic League has that opportunity as well.''