Aloha Pacific FCU makes 10-year investment in UH Esports, new arena set for 2027

Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union has entered into a 10-year partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, pledging significant financial support to advance the university’s esports program.

As part of the agreement, the Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union UH Esports Arena is scheduled to open in August 2027 inside the renovated Student Success Center, formerly known as Sinclair Library.

Under the 10-year sponsorship, Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union will provide funding for scholarships, team travel, equipment and competitive programming, resources that previously relied on modest budgets from Information Technology Services and support from the Academy for Creative Media.

APFCU President Vince Otsuka, a UH Mānoa finance graduate, said the sponsorship is both a tribute to his UH roots and a strategic investment in Hawaiʻi’s future. Otsuka credits the university for educating many of APFCU’s employees and helping drive the credit union’s transformation from a small community financial institution into one of Hawaiʻi’s largest, now exceeding $1.4 billion in assets.

“UH shaped who we are—both as professionals and as a credit union,” Otsuka said. “We may not have the scale of large national institutions, but we can make meaningful contributions where it matters most. UH Esports is innovative, community-driven and filled with passionate students. That’s why we chose to invest here.”

Building a competitive esports program

Formally launched in 2018–19, UH Esports has grown into one of the country’s premier collegiate esports programs. Led by faculty researcher Sky Kauweloa, the program fields more than 100 student athletes who compete year-round in the Mountain West Conference, and in a variety of esports games across the country, including League of Legends, Overwatch and Valorant. Varsity teams regularly travel for national finals and semifinals, and the program maintains a full competitive schedule with fall and spring seasons.

“What makes esports so powerful for students is that it blends competition, entertainment, community and career pathways,” said Kauweloa, who is also the director of UH Esports. “We built this program to mirror traditional athletics—with coaches, structured practices and national tournaments—but we also built it to open doors. Our students come from every corner of campus, not just STEM, and they’re finding real industry opportunities.”

UH Esports earned national acclaim in 2022 when it was named the best collegiate esports program in the US. Strong industry partnerships have since created direct pathways for students, including internships with major gaming companies, participation in Activision Blizzard’s professional esports league operations and remote roles with NVIDIA, with five students hired directly from UH.

“The younger generation lives at the intersection of gaming, technology and digital communities,” Kauweloa said. “Aloha Pacific understands this better than most. Their investment isn’t just financial, it’s a belief in our students and in where the future is headed.”

For Otsuka, the partnership also carries personal meaning.

“This is a natural fit for me,” he said. “I grew up in a house behind UH Lab School and I remember riding my bike to Sinclair Library. I finally found a way I could give back to a school that I’ve admired since I was a kid playing Nintendo games.”

More information on the UH Esports program is available on its X and Discord pages.