After 45 years in poker here is my opinion.

Put an excellent player in a field of 500 & up and his luck ratio to skill ratio will be 50-50 through the 1st 300 to 350 players.
The skill factor will come into play more after that but will never get higher than 70-30. Maybe 80-20 at the final table, but skill will not overcome a new players river cards on a "LUCKY" day.
In the days before internet poker and the tons of new players that just come to play, the numbers was better for a skilled player.

"That's why the same pros are always at the final tables."

You do not see this anywhere near as much as you used to. The fields are just too big with bad players.

One or two "LIVE players is great in a game. Five or six "LIVE" players in a game is real tough to out skill.