i think you forget to mention this main issue regarding players...tournaments. i'd say there's plenty of 'players' people that enjoy pins. then there are the 'real players', people that compete nationally and/or travel to many tourneys. i find there's 2 kinds of players'
1. the average pinball enthusiast that plays at the bars with friends, or may own a machine or 4.
2. someone that plays pinball to defeat wizard modes and have world ranking status (ya, its funny but for real!). competes in large tourneys (chicage, san fran, vegas, colorado, east coast, midwest, etc).
regarding collectors, many do just have pins to have pins....which collect dust.
everyone loves pinball in their own individual ways, but there are large differences amongst us!!