Briggs & Stratton: From Leading the Race to Running Out of Road
For 23 years, Briggs & Stratton served as the title sponsor of Briggs & Al’s Run & Walk for Children’s Hospital. I experienced that commitment personally.
I was the race director.
The race began in 1977 as Al’s Run, founded by iconic Marquette Basketball coach Al McGuire to benefit Children’s Hospital. Briggs & Stratton later became the title sponsor, and the event became Briggs & Al’s Run & Walk, an involvement as a 23-year title sponsor—the hospital’s longest-standing event sponsorship.
Briggs & Stratton wasn’t merely another corporate name printed across a sponsorship banner. It was a Milwaukee institution: a century-old manufacturer, a major employer, and a company willing to put its name behind an event that brought thousands of people together for sick children.
It felt permanent.
For more than a century, Briggs & Stratton engines powered America’s lawnmowers, snowblowers, generators, and outdoor equipment. (I personally own 3 machines powered by Briggs and Stratton engines) The name was stamped on millions of machines. The company employed thousands. Suppliers had decades-long relationships with it. Briggs & Stratton didn’t look like a customer that wold fail.
Then, in July 2020, Briggs & Stratton filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
What Happened?
The public angle was COVID, but that’s not what happened. The deeper story is that the warning lights were already flashing:
Declining demand for traditional gasoline engines
Growing competition from battery-powered equipment
Customer concentration and pressure from major retailers
High debt and pension obligations
Operating losses and weakening liquidity
A familiar brand name masking a deteriorating balance sheet
A recognizable name can make a supplier feel safe. But a century of success does not pay tomorrow’s invoices.
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