I wouldn't say locking them in the basement is accurate for the home collector. We have friends and family that not only play but get addicted to the hobby because they had such a blast playing our pins.
I agree it is nice to enjoy pins in a social environment but enjoying them in the comfort of the house with drinks and whatnot without the worry of driving has its appeal as well. It's great getting the chance to play pins on location and I am very thankful to those that operate and maintain em!